Volume 062: Akka 1298 A.H. (1880–1881), Part I (6 of 7)
BH08592: O Muhammad-Karim! Your letter was presented before the Wronged…
He is the Most Holy, the Most Great
O Muhammad-Karim! Your letter was presented before the Wronged One and the servant in attendance read it. Verily your Lord is the Hearing, the Responding One. Say: Glory be to You, O You by Whose name the rivers flow, the fruits appear, and the mysteries emerge! I beseech You by Your Most Exalted Self and the Manifestations of Your power in the kingdom of creation to ordain through Your Most Exalted Pen that which will enable me to remain steadfast in Your Cause—the Cause that has shaken the foundations of Your creation. O my Lord! I am the weak one who has clung to the cord of Your power, and I am the poor one who has held fast to the hem of Your riches. I beseech You not to withhold from me the appearance of Your grace. Verily You are the Powerful, the Most High, the Mighty, the Great. O Karim! Read what has been sent down to you from the Kingdom of Utterance, then give thanks to your Lord, the Generous One. The Glory be upon you and upon your wife who has believed in God, the Lord of the worlds.
BH08530: O thou who hast turned thy face toward…
He is the Forgiver, the Ever-Relenting
O thou who hast turned thy face toward the Countenance! We have heard thy cry and thy lamentation, and thy confession of thy sins. Verily thy Lord is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. We have, of Our grace, forgiven thee and remitted thy transgressions, as a mercy from Our presence, inasmuch as We found thee turning unto God, the Lord of all worlds. It behooveth thee and those who believe not to approach except by His leave, nor to speak save that which hath been revealed in His mighty Tablet. Say: O peoples of the earth! Cast away your own wills and hold fast unto the Will of God, the Possessor of this resplendent Day. Cast behind your backs your desires and cleave unto the desire of God, the One, the Single, the All-Informed. Rejoice thou that from the horizon of the heaven of thy Lord’s mercy the sun of forgiveness hath shone forth, and say: Praise be unto Thee, O Beloved of hearts, and glory be unto Thee, O Goal of them that know Thee! The splendor rest upon thee and upon them that have cast away idle fancies when the light of certitude did shine forth.
BH08332: Your letter arrived and was presented by the servant…
He is the Most Holy, the Most Great
Your letter arrived and was presented by the servant who is present before the Wronged One, and We have answered you with this wondrous and mighty Tablet. Say: Glory be to Thee, O God of all beings and Master of all created things! I beseech Thee by the splendors of the lights of the Sun of Thy Manifestation and by the pearls of the ocean of Thy utterance, to make me in all conditions steadfast in Thy love, turned toward Thy horizon, and speaking in Thy remembrance. O my Lord! Write down for me, through Thy great favors, that which Thou hast written for Thy chosen ones who have spent all they possessed in Thy path. O my Lord! I am the poor, the helpless, the lowly, and Thou art the Powerful, the Generous, the Forgiving, the Bountiful. I beseech Thee, O God of Names, by the Most Great Word, to forgive me and absolve me of my offenses, and assist me in that which Thou lovest and approvest. Verily, Thou art powerful over whatsoever Thou willest. There is no God but Thee, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.
BH08114: O maidservant of God! The favoring glance…
In the Name of the Beloved of the Worlds!
O maidservant of God! The favoring glance of the Lord of Names hath ever been and shall continue to be directed towards His servants and handmaidens. The Most Exalted Pen hath, at all times, been occupied with the mention of His loved ones.
How blessed is the state of those souls who, in this Day which is the Lord of Days, have drunk from the ocean of divine knowledge and attained unto the station of certitude. How many were the souls who laid claim to steadfastness, yet were unsettled by the croak of a raven, to such degree that they turned away from the Mother Book of God.
Blessed art thou and blessed is thy mother who hath ascended unto God, the Lord of all worlds. We make mention of her at this moment from My Most Exalted Pen, that the sweet fragrance of thy Lord’s loving-kindness, the Forgiving, the Bountiful, may be diffused.
The glory rest upon thee and upon her and upon thy father and thy brother and upon those who have quaffed the choice wine in the name of their Lord, the Compassionate, the All-Forgiving, the Merciful.
BH08121: O friends! The world hath never had, nor doth…
He is the Speaker in the Kingdom of Utterance!
O friends! The world hath never had, nor doth it now possess, any constancy. At all times it hath borne and continueth to bear witness to its own transience. Yet those endowed with hearing and sight have been, and still are, few.
Beseech ye God that He may, with the finger of His power, rend asunder the veils that have hindered men, and withhold them not from beholding the lights of the Sun of Revelation. A hundred thousand regrets that they have deprived themselves of His infinite bounties and occupied themselves with worthless trifles that neither nourish nor satisfy. Ere long they shall testify to their own loss. Thus hath the Most Exalted Pen spoken, as a token of His grace. He, verily, is the All-Bountiful, the Generous.
Yet God hath had, and will continue to have, such servants as are not prevented by the defenses of the world from the Most Great Name, nor by the hosts of earth from the Lord of the seen and the unseen. He, verily, is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.
Praise be to God, the Almighty, the All-Powerful.
BH08091: We, from this most exalted station, bestow glory upon…
He is the One dawning from the horizon of the Kingdom.
We, from this most exalted station, bestow glory upon the faces of those who have turned and attained the pure wine which was unsealed through My Name, the Mighty, the Powerful.
The proof hath appeared and the sun of evidence hath shone forth from the horizon of possibility, yet the people are in grievous error. They have cast aside the Lord of Names and followed every evil one who hath turned away from the All-Informed.
Say: Fear God and follow not your desires. Follow Him Who hath come to you with a manifest sovereignty. Beware lest the ornaments of the world withhold you from the Lord of Names. Leave behind what ye possess by command of God, the Ordainer, the All-Wise.
Soon shall the world and all that ye behold today perish, and there shall endure that which hath been ordained for you by the finger of your Lord’s will, the All-Knowing. Thus hath the Supreme Pen given glad tidings to the company of the Abha Kingdom who have arisen to serve the Cause of their Lord, the Mighty, the Inaccessible.
BH08712: O maidservant of God! God willing, mayest thou be…
In the name of the All-Seeing Lord!
O maidservant of God! God willing, mayest thou be successful through divine bounty and act according to that which is acceptable in His presence. Today all the friends must fix their gaze upon the Supreme Horizon and hold fast unto that which God hath ordained in the Book. Be thou thankful unto thy Lord, the All-Merciful.
Verily He hath turned toward thee from His Most Great Scene and His Most Luminous Prison, and remembereth thee with that which hath caused the fragrance of utterance to be diffused throughout contingent being.
We send greetings to all the handmaidens in that land. The glance of God is directed towards all, and they must, with utmost sanctity and detachment, be engaged in the mention of the Peerless Friend. Verily He answereth whosoever calleth upon Him and turneth unto whosoever hath turned unto Him. He, verily, is the Near One, the Watchful.
Glory be upon thee and upon My handmaidens in that place, from Him Who is the imprisoned Stranger.
BH08643: Praise be to God that the realm of existence…
He is the One Who dominates all names
Praise be to God that the realm of existence hath been illumined and brightened by the Sun of the Divine Name, and the Call of the Divine Tree hath been raised. Blessed is the state of the one who hath heard His Call and turned towards His horizon and hath been confirmed in serving His Cause. I swear by the Sun of Manifestation that this Day hath no like or equal. Strive ye and attain unto lofty stations. Let not the opportunity slip from your grasp, and arise to that which beseemeth the station of man. With the utmost joy and fragrance, occupy yourselves with the remembrance of the Beloved of all creation, and hold fast unto the Divine Book. By the life of God! Verily it will guide you to His straight path and draw you nigh unto Him through His grace. Verily He is the Forgiving, the Generous.
BH08917: God hath caused sedition and calamities to arise among…
He is the Most Great!
God hath caused sedition and calamities to arise among those who have disbelieved, that there might be manifested that which He revealed in the Surih of Ra’is. Read ye it, that ye may be assured that with Him is the knowledge of all things in a perspicuous Book.
We informed the servants of that which was to come, but when there came to pass and was made manifest that which the Self-Subsisting had foretold after the Qa’im, they denied God, the Lord of all worlds, except such as God desired. He, verily, is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.
Know ye, O My loved ones, that God hath adorned the Tree of Man with branches and twigs and leaves. Know ye this and be not of the heedless. These are indeed the virtues which We have detailed in My mighty Book.
O My loved ones! Hold fast unto that which I have commanded you from My presence, and I am the All-Informed.
BH08697: We make mention of those who have attained unto…
He is the One manifest above all things.
We make mention of those who have attained unto the days of God and His knowledge, and turned unto Him when every idolatrous infidel turned away. We promised those on earth this Most Great Manifestation, but when He came and appeared in truth, the peoples turned away from Him save those whom God, the Mighty, the Bestower, willed.
Arise to serve the Cause and remind the people through this Tablet whereby the cock of the Divine Throne crowed and the nightingale of utterance warbled upon the branches. Beware lest anything prevent thee from thy Lord’s path or any matter frighten thee in these days. Leave what the people possess and take what thou art commanded in the Book.
By the life of God! He will protect thee and guide thee to a station whereof the pens are powerless to make mention.
BH08970: The Most Exalted Pen beareth witness that at all…
In the Name of the Peerless Lord:
The Most Exalted Pen beareth witness that at all times hath It made mention of the friends on behalf of the Lord of Religions, and guided them to the Living Waters. How excellent is the state of him who, detached from all else but God, hath turned unto Him and partaken thereof in His one and only Beloved Name.
Night and day divine outpourings rain down from the heaven of grace, yet most are heedless thereof, for they have forsaken that which is with God and occupied themselves with that which is with them.
Beseech thou God that He withhold not His heedless servants from the ocean of His knowledge, nor debar them from the Most Exalted Horizon. Verily, He is the Hearer, the Answerer.
Glory be upon them that have believed in this wondrous and glorious Day.
BH09133: O Abdu’l-Ali, goodly is thy name. God willing, mayest…
In the name of the All-Seeing Lord!
O Abdu’l-Ali, goodly is thy name. God willing, mayest thou become worthy of this name. The grace of the True One hath been and shall ever be vouchsafed unto all, and He hath summoned all with one call to the supreme horizon. Blessed is the soul that hath hearkened to the call and attained the response. The treasures of earth and heaven cannot equal one word “yea,” for if today a soul attaineth unto this word, he hath been and shall be independent of all the words of the people of the world. But if, God forbid, he becometh heedless, the treasures and riches of the earth shall profit him not. Thus hath the Supreme Pen spoken when the Lord of Names was established upon the throne of His Great Name.
When thou hast received this Tablet, know thou its station, then give thanks unto thy Lord, the All-Bountiful.
BH08734: O Fatimih! Your letter was received and attained unto…
In the name of the Beloved of the world
O Fatimih! Your letter was received and attained unto the hearing of the Lord of Ancient Days. Blessed art thou and blessed is thy father who turned his face toward the Countenance until he presented himself at the Gate and heard the call of his Lord, the All-Powerful, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. God willing, may you speak forth the praise of the Beloved of all creation at all times and conduct yourself with complete sanctification and detachment. The world hath never had and will never have any constancy. Be not grieved by any affairs that occur therein. Make firm the cord of turning unto God. By My life, He sufficeth thee—to this every fair-minded and discerning one doth testify. God willing, may you attain unto that which God hath willed and be observed as sanctified, detached and purified from the varied hues of the world.
BH09003: A Book inscribed hath God, the Lord of all…
He is the Manifest, the Hidden
A Book inscribed hath God, the Lord of all appearance, sent down, yet most of the people remain heedless. By God! The proof hath been perfected, the bounty hath been sent down, and the evidence hath appeared, for the All-Merciful hath come with a sovereignty that hath conquered all who are in the heavens and on earth. Blessed is he who hath turned toward the Most Exalted Horizon and remembereth God, the Lord of the Throne and of the dust. We bear witness that he is of the people of Baha in My mighty Book. Rejoice thou with the greatest gladness, inasmuch as the Lord of Power hath turned toward thee from this wondrous Horizon. Beware lest anything hold thee back from God or tales and images veil thee. Hold thou fast unto the cord of steadfastness in such wise that the allusions of those who have disbelieved in God, the Lord of the worlds, shall not prevent thee. Thus hath the Pen spoken from the presence of the Ancient of Days. Blessed is he who hath heard and responded to his Lord, the Mighty, the All-Wise.
BH09519: The Most Exalted Pen speaks in the Persian tongue…
In the name of the Peerless All-Knowing One
The Most Exalted Pen speaks in the Persian tongue, that all may attain to and act according to the good-pleasure of God.
Today steadfastness is accounted as the most great of all deeds in the sight of God and is recorded by the Pen of Power in the Divine Book. It is incumbent upon everyone to hold fast unto it and cling to the hem of His bounty, that perchance the various corrupt winds may not prevent him and deprive him from the rose-garden of inner meanings and utterance. This is the counsel of the Wronged One unto all servants. Blessed is he who hath heard and acted according to that which hath been enjoined in the Book of God, the Lord of the worlds. And woe unto those who have violated the Covenant and followed every remote clamourer.
BH09509: Say: Glory be to Thee, O my God…
He is God, exalted be His station, the Grandeur and the Power!
Say: Glory be to Thee, O my God and the God of the worlds, my Answerer and the Answerer of them that are in distress! I beseech Thee by the Word through which that which was and that which shall be were made manifest, that Thou draw me nigh unto Thy most exalted horizon, O Thou in Whose grasp is the reins of all mankind.
I am he, O my God, who hath heard Thy sweetest call and turned unto Thee, O Creator of the heavens! I beseech Thee that Thou disappoint me not from the wonders of Thy bounty and what Thou hast ordained for the choicest among Thy creatures.
O Lord! Thou seest me clinging to the cord of Thy grace and holding fast to the hem of Thy generosity. Wouldst Thou deny one whom Thou hast called unto Thyself? Thou art He to Whose bounty and favors all things have testified. There is none other God but Thee, the All-Bountiful, the Mighty, the Great.
BH09355: Since mention was made of thee in Samandar’s letter…
He is the Mighty, the Bestower!
Since mention was made of thee in Samandar’s letter, therefore hath the Wronged One turned toward thee and made mention of thee in this inscribed Tablet. God willing, thou shalt abide beneath the shade of His providence and soar in the atmosphere of His love. Today is the day of service and the day of deeds. Blessed is the soul that is content and thankful with that which God hath ordained. That which hath flowed from the Most Exalted Pen shall benefit such souls as act upon it and accept it. This is what God hath testified to in His gracious Book. With a hundred thousand tongues be thou grateful to the Beloved of all creation, for He hath guided thee and granted thee a portion from His ocean of love. Verily He is the Generous Bestower.
BH09969: Say: O my God, my Lord and my Support!…
He is the Rememberer and the Remembered One.
Say: O my God, my Lord and my Support! I beseech Thee by the Name through which the Sun of utterance shone forth from the horizon of possibility and the Ocean of divine knowledge surged amidst the peoples of all religions, to draw me near in all conditions to the horizon of Thy bounty and aid me to remember Thee and praise Thee among Thy creatures in such wise that the veils of humanity may not prevent me from turning toward Thee, O Thou Who holdest destiny in Thy grasp.
O Lord! Thou seest Thy servant turning toward Thee, seeking the Kawthar of Thy loving-kindness. I beseech Thee to deal with me according to what befitteth Thy generosity, Thy grace and Thy bounty. Verily, Thou art the All-Powerful, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.
BH09728: I beseech Thee, O my God, by the Word…
He is the Speaker, the Rememberer, the Preserver, the All-Knowing
I beseech Thee, O my God, by the Word wherein Thou hast treasured the pearls of Thy knowledge, and by the Sea that hath surged in Thy name in Thy days, to ordain for Thy handmaidens that which shall preserve them from drawing nigh unto any except Thee. O Lord! I implore Thee by Thy Self to shield them from every sorrow and grief and from whatsoever may hold them back from Thy most exalted horizon. Verily Thou art the Lord of all beings and the Ruler of the last and the first. There is none other God but Thee, the Mighty, the Great. Bless, O my God, Thy successful servants and Thy successful handmaidens. Verily Thou art the Generous, the Lord of great bounty. There is none other God but Thee, the Ever-Forgiving, the Bountiful.
BH09967: Say: Glory be to Thee, O Thou by Whose…
In the Name of God, the Most Holy, the Most Great, the Most Glorious!
Say: Glory be to Thee, O Thou by Whose Name the gate of heaven was opened and the people of creation hastened to the Dayspring of Names! I beseech Thee by the ocean of Thy bounty and the heaven of Thy generosity to ordain for me that which will draw me nigh unto Thee, and to decree for me, O my God, that which shall profit me in this world and the world to come. Verily, Thou art He in Whose grasp is the kingdom of the heavens and of the earth. There is none other God but Thee, the Almighty, the Powerful.
O Lord! This evanescent servant hath clung to Thy eternal Name and turned to Thy horizon, hoping for the wonders of Thy grace. I beseech Thee not to disappoint him of that which is with Thee. Verily, Thou art the Almighty, the Powerful.
BH10438: O Habibullah! The Wronged One makes mention of you…
He is God. He is the One dawning from the horizon of the heaven of mystical knowledge
O Habibullah! The Wronged One makes mention of you in such wise that you may find from it the fragrance of the love of God and the sweet-scented breezes of the garment of His chosen ones—they who hastened to the Sea of Life and attained unto that which none of the followers of religions have attained, save whom God, the Possessor of the kingdom of earth and heaven, the Merciful to both kings and subjects, and the Sovereign of the realm of might, did will. Blessed is the soul that has attained unto this most exalted, most glorious station. And woe unto him who has disbelieved and turned away from God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.
BH11136: O Ahmad ʿAli! Hearken unto the Call…
He is the Most Ancient, the Most Great
O Ahmad ʿAli! Hearken unto the Call of the ancient King, which hath been raised from the direction of His Most Great Prison.
BH00322: Praise be befitting and worthy of my Beloved Who…
Section 1: “Praise be befitting and worthy of my Beloved…”
In the Name of our Most Holy, Most Great, Most Exalted, Most Glorious Lord
Praise be befitting and worthy of my Beloved Who caused the Sun of the Most Exalted Word to appear from the horizon of the Tablet through the movement of the Most Exalted Pen, and through that blessed and firm Word adorned the whole world with the garment of existence. He is the Omnipotent, the All-Powerful. The conditions of the world and the intimations of the nations have not and will never prevent Him from that which He hath willed. From time immemorial He hath spoken through the word “Verily I am God” and unto eternity He will utter whatsoever He willeth. No created thing in earth or heaven can frustrate Him, nor can any matter in the kingdom of creation prevent Him from that which He desireth. Exalted be His grandeur, exalted be His dominion, and exalted be His power! He is, verily, the Single, the One, the Mighty, the Omnipotent.
I offer praise, peace, and glory unto those who have arisen to aid His Cause and who have voiced His praise amongst His creation. The servant beareth witness that through them steadfastness was manifested among all created things and the banner of victory was raised in this Day wherein the Cry hath been raised, the Sure Hour hath come to pass, and the Calamity hath appeared. These are servants whom the veils of creation have not hindered and whom the swords of the enemies have not frightened. God hath rendered them sanctified from all corruption and contention and from all that causeth souls to be perturbed. They speak with wisdom, hold fast unto wisdom, and walk in the path of wisdom. These are honored servants, these are sincere servants, no fear shall be upon them, neither shall they grieve.
Glory be unto Thee, O Thou through Whose love the sighs of them that are nigh unto Thee have ascended and the tears of the sincere ones have fallen! I beseech Thee by the Name through which the Day of Judgment was manifested and every wise decree was revealed, to aid Thy loved ones and chosen ones to serve Thy Cause and to manifest that which Thou hast willed in Thy dominion. O my Lord! Thou beholdest them hastening unto Thee, turning unto Thy face, speaking Thy praise amongst Thy servants, and arising to serve Thee in Thy lands. O my Lord! Assist them through Thy power and sovereignty, and ordain for them that which beseemeth Thy bounty and generosity. Verily, Thou art the Almighty, the Most Exalted, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.
This servant submitteth that your letters, arriving one after another, have been the cause of joy and the source of gladness to the heart. The exalted Truth is witness that this evanescent servant is occupied day and night in remembrance of the friends of God. All that you had written was presented at the Most Holy and Most Exalted Threshold, and in response to each, the Sun of favor hath shone forth from the heaven of the Divine Will. However, the letters addressed to this servant, as well as the petitions, did not reach this evanescent one for some time due to the turmoil in these parts, excessive rain, and other impediments. After their arrival, a detailed account was presented. Some time ago, a Most Holy, Most Exalted Tablet specifically addressed to you was revealed from the heaven of oneness and was dispatched, and likewise, in response to the petitions from the land of Kha, mention of you was revealed from the Most Exalted Pen. God willing, all shall attain unto them. When your letter arrived this time, after this evanescent one had read and reviewed it, he attained the Most Holy Presence and presented all before God. This is what the Tongue of God hath spoken from the Kingdom of Utterance:
He is the Witness, the All-Hearing
I have remembered thee before and after, and have sent down unto thee from the Kingdom of utterance that which hath caused the foundations of the earth to tremble. I, verily, am the True One, the All-Knowing. This is the Day whereon all atoms proclaim: The Kingdom is God’s! And I, verily, am the All-Seeing Witness. The Pen testifieth unto the Ancient of Days, and I, verily, am the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing. Blessed is the soul that hath attained unto My service, circled round My will, soared in the atmosphere of My love, and observed that which was commanded in My perspicuous Book. O Asad! Thou hast attained unto My remembrance aforetime and in this glorious Tablet. We have heard thy call time and again, and that wherewith thou didst commune with God, the Lord of the worlds. We have answered thee with that whereunto nothing can be compared. Thy Lord, verily, answereth whomsoever He willeth, and I am the All-Responding. By God’s life! Nothing whatsoever escapeth His knowledge. He heareth and seeth, and He is the All-Seeing, the All-Encompassing.
God willing, thou shalt attain unto all that hath been revealed in the Divine Books. The bounty of the True One toward His loved ones is manifest and evident as the sun. Were thou to render thanks throughout the duration of the kingdom of earth and heaven, it would not equal this supreme bounty, nor ever shall. He, verily, praiseth His Own Self through His loved ones. This beseemeth Him and befitteth His Self, the Sovereign over all who are in the heavens and on earth.
From most regions, petitions have reached the Most Holy Court, all adorned with mention of God and speaking of thy services rendered for the sake of God and in His path. God willing, mayest thou be assisted and confirmed by God’s grace to mention that which hath been revealed in His Book. Whosoever ariseth today to aid the Cause of God with wisdom and utterance is recorded among the people of the Crimson Ark. Strive that perchance differences may be wholly eliminated and transformed into the light of unity. Thy Lord, verily, is the Almighty, the All-Powerful. Glory be upon thee and upon those who have held fast to the cord of wisdom on this Day, which hath been mentioned in the Books of God, the Self-Subsisting, the All-Compelling.
All thy services are visible and mentioned in the Most Holy Court. God willing, mayest thou be assisted at all times to aid the Cause, and strive that no matter contrary to wisdom may appear. For if something should appear and cause commotion, the weak souls would perish. In view of divine compassion and His pre-existing mercy, all have been charged to observe wisdom. Its laws have been sent down as a grace from His presence and a kindness from His court. In all conditions His eye of compassion is turned toward the servants. Nevertheless, that which hath never been witnessed in any age is now observed. Shame upon the people who have broken God’s Covenant and His Testament, and have forbidden men from drawing nigh unto Him.
Concerning what thou didst write about meeting with the Wolf in the land of Sad, this matter was presented in the Most Holy and Most Exalted Court. This is what the Tongue of Grandeur hath spoken:
O Asad! The deeds of that heedless ignorant one are a most dense veil that surely prevents him from hearkening to utterances that emerge from the heart and tongue for the sake of God. Nevertheless, We permit association with him; perchance in some matters he may remember or become mindful. Verily He aids whomsoever desires His aid, and heareth the call of whomsoever heareth His call, and turneth unto whomsoever turneth unto Him. Verily thy Beloved is the Near, the Responsive.
Thy turning to the land of Sad is good; perchance someone may be found who will arise as befitteth. If thou attainest the presence of the fruits of the Tree of Faithfulness, convey to them greetings and comfort from the True One. This is what thou art bidden in the Tablet. He is verily the Commander, the All-Knowing. This turning is acceptable before the Throne if it be accomplished with joy and fragrance.
Concerning what thou didst mention about the Blessed Place in the land of Kha, whatsoever was carried out is ratified and accepted before the Throne. However, in the lands of Ya, Shin, Ta, Qaf and Kaf, in view of the wisdom revealed in these days, it is not permitted until its time and season come. It is known that this is the greatest good deed for all, and any deed that is manifested today and proceedeth from a doer is accounted as the king of deeds before God. This blessed word hath previously been heard from the Tongue of Grandeur: every matter, deed and word that is today adorned with the ornament of God’s acceptance, its fragrance hath been and shall forever be. Just as there hath been no likeness or similitude for God—exalted be His glory, abundant be His favors, and magnificent be His grandeur—there hath not been and shall never be any likeness for the good deeds that are manifested in the Days of God for His sake.
Section 2: “People seek children for the perpetuation of their…”
People seek children for the perpetuation of their remembrance, and build mosques and thoroughfares for the preservation of their names—though it is not known how long such names and remembrances will endure between one person and another, or within families. However, whatsoever appeareth in the Days of God—its fragrance and remembrance have endured and shall endure for as long as the kingdom and the realm of heaven exist. These brilliant utterances are manifest and evident from the horizons of divine Tablets. There is nothing that God hath not revealed in the Book.
The servant seeketh forgiveness at all times for his mention, thoughts and utterance. I beseech Him, exalted be He, to expiate my misdeeds and transgressions which, were they to be laid upon the mountains, would render them dust scattered and level plain.
O beloved of my heart! All holy souls should strive to transform the coldness and lifelessness of the world through the fire of the Most Great Name. His Holiness Afnan—upon him be all the most glorious glory—sent a letter to him who beareth the Name of God (66)—upon him be the most glorious glory of God—and deemed it expedient that the Blessed Place be established in a specific location in the surroundings of this land. This matter was accepted in the Most Holy Court. Assuredly, any deed that is performed today in this land or in the lands surrounding this holy land shall be accounted as the sun of deeds in all worlds, and its sweet fragrances shall never be cut off from the world. God willing, may all the friends of God be assisted to achieve that which is befitting today.
Concerning the accounting books of the King of Martyrs, may my spirit be a sacrifice unto him, which you mentioned—certainly the accomplishment of this matter in any form is beloved before God and His loved ones. As for what you wrote regarding the petitions from the Land of Kha which were submitted to the Most Holy Court, as well as the four letters addressed to this servant which you gave to the Afnan, upon him be all the glory of the Most Glorious, to forward—these have arrived and God willing, replies will descend from the heaven of grace and be sent. Praise be to God, all have been honored and achieved success through the radiant effulgences of the Sun of Providence and are mentioned before His Presence. Would that the people of the world could behold the station of this most mighty, most impregnable, most holy and most exalted Cause! By the life of the Beloved, they would pass by themselves and all else like lightning, and would act according to that which exalteth the Cause of God. Verily the Command is in God’s hand—He aideth whomsoever He willeth through His Command, and ordaineth what He desireth through His Most Exalted Pen in His holy, mighty and wise Book.
As for what you wrote at the end of your letter that it has been nearly a year since they have been favored with replies to their petitions—the exalted Truth is witness and testament that you have always been mentioned before His Presence. How could it be that one who arises to serve the Cause of God and to make mention of His praise should be deprived of His favors? Far be it! The glances of grace and mercy have ever been and continue to be directed towards His loved ones. His is the praise and the bounty. That which all the learned, all the mystics, all the eloquent writers and all the wise orators have failed to mention hath appeared and been made manifest.
Furthermore, convey my greetings to the loved ones of God who have quaffed from the wine of steadfastness and are gazing toward the Most Exalted Horizon. God willing, may they not be deprived of spiritual deeds in this luminous Day and may they be enabled to perform such actions as befit this Day. Verily our Lord, the All-Merciful, is the Compassionate, the Generous.
Regarding what you mentioned about turning toward the Desired Land, it was submitted before the Divine Throne. This is what the Tongue of the Desired One hath spoken forth from His praised station:
He is the Most Mighty, the Most Great, the Most Holy, the Most Exalted, the Most Glorious!
The Beloved hath heard thy call and hath answered thee through His grace. Verily thy Lord is the Answerer. We have seen thee turning toward the Most Exalted Horizon and We have turned toward thee. Verily thy Lord is the Generous One. We have manifested Our Cause with truth and have sent down what was inscribed in the Tablet, and I am the Great Book. Blessed art thou for having attained unto the traces of My Most Exalted Pen and My beauteous mention. Know thou the value of this station, then give thanks unto thy Lord, the Compassionate, the Merciful. Behold and remember when thou didst turn toward the Countenance and didst traverse the lands until thou didst enter the Most Exalted Paradise—this Prison which hath been named with the Most Beautiful Names by the tongue of thy Lord, the Creator of heaven—and didst behold the Most Glorious Horizon and didst hear the Call of God, the King, the Omnipotent, the All-Knowing. Thou hast attained unto the presence and hast drunk the Kawthar of reunion. It behooveth thee to remind the people of the goodly things which have been sent down in the Tablets of thy Lord, the Ancient Revealer.
O Asad! Thou hast attained unto the light of His countenance, and stood before His gate, and entered the heaven of His dwellings, and perceived the true Ka’bah, and heard with thine outward ear the voice of Him Who spoke on Sinai. Shouldst thou spend all thy life in praise and thanksgiving and glorification of the Lord of Names, it would be as nothing compared to this bounty. Now thou must occupy thyself with teaching His Cause with wisdom and utterance. By the life of God, this station is most great! O Asad! With perfect detachment and sincerity, fix thy gaze upon God, remember Him, speak of Him, and turn to Him. He verily witnesseth and seeth, and He is the All-Hearing, the Most Exalted, the All-Knowing.
God willing, may earthly means not prevent the friends of God from mentioning Him, praising Him, and teaching His Cause. We make mention of Our loved ones in all lands and give them glad tidings of God’s remembrance, the Lord of all worlds. Say: O My friends on earth! The fragrances of revelation have been wafted among you. Be thankful to your Creator for this mighty bounty. Purify your hearts that the effulgence of My Name, the Most Merciful, may be established therein, for I am the Compassionate. We give you glad tidings of what hath been ordained for you in God’s Kingdom and counsel you to manifest supreme steadfastness on this Day whereon the call of the Lord of Return hath been raised, and behind it is heard the buzzing of flies.
Thus have We revealed the pearls of Our all-encompassing knowledge. Doth the world sadden you after ye have witnessed its transience? By the life of God, it shall perish, and there shall remain for you that which no swift penman can describe. Hold fast unto the cord of steadfastness in all conditions. He verily commandeth you that which profiteth you. To this testify the Concourse on High and the dwellers of Paradise in this exalted station. Glory be upon you and upon My handmaidens who have attained unto the waters of My love and the choice wine of My knowledge, and have turned toward My luminous horizon.
Praise be to God that in this time, time and again, ye have attained unto the bounties of the Desired One of all worlds. God willing, may ye ever attain unto this most great bounty and mighty gift. That which is most beloved in the presence of God this day is unity and concord. It is hoped that the world may be illumined by its light. Your honor must exert the utmost effort in this regard. He is verily the Protector of the doers of good. Glory be upon thee and upon those who have attained unto this Cause and have arisen to serve God, the Lord of all worlds.
On […] Jumada II 1298
BH01745: Praise be to God Who has made correspondence…
He is God, exalted be His station, the Greatness and the Power!
Praise be to God Who has made correspondence the interpreter between His loved ones who have inhaled the fragrances of His verses, turned to His sovereignty, and cast aside what they possessed in hope of what He possesses. He is indeed the Single One, the Witness, the All-Seeing. And prayers and peace be upon His Prophets, His chosen ones, and His pure ones who spoke His praise, spread His traces, and commanded people to act according to what was revealed in His mighty, great Book.
May my spirit be a sacrifice for your steadfastness! The servant has gathered from the trees of your utterance the fruits of your knowledge, and thereby his breast was dilated and his heart rejoiced. When I learned of this I sought the ultimate goal and presented it before His Countenance. He spoke, and His sweetest utterance was:
“We rejoice in what comes from him. We beseech the Exalted One to strengthen him, enable him to remember and praise Him, and draw him nigh unto Him outwardly and inwardly. He is indeed the True Speaker, the Trustworthy.”
O thou who gazest toward the Most Exalted Horizon! There was presented before His Countenance what was composed by him who was named Ahmad in the Kingdom of Names, and the servant in attendance at the gate recited it. We beseech the Exalted One to strengthen him in that whereby his mention shall endure through the eternity of His most beautiful names in the kingdom of creation. He is the Lord of the Throne and earth, and the Master of the hereafter and the former times. There is no God but He, the Powerful, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.
The servant read his verse and found it a brilliant star in the heaven of eloquence and rhetoric, and I beseech the Intended One to cause him to speak that whereby hearts and minds are attracted. I hope that you will convey greetings to him on behalf of this servant who holds fast to the cord of his Lord’s tender mercy, the Powerful.
And what you wrote previously regarding Mulla Yusuf, upon him be the Glory of God—I presented what he composed before His Countenance. The Master smiled and said:
“Praise be to God Who enabled him to turn to that from which most of creation turned away. I beseech the Exalted One to grant him a goodly reward from His presence. He is indeed the Guardian of those who remember and the Companion of the believers. And praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.”
And regarding what you wrote that the physician, upon him be the Glory of God, was irritated by the word wisdom—when I presented this, the Master said: “He should rejoice in wisdom and keep it before his eyes.”
And concerning what you mentioned about the prisoner, upon him be the Glory of God—when I presented it before His Countenance, the Beloved said:
“We have mentioned the prisoner before and after with such mention that those who turn to God find from it the fragrance of sincerity to God, the One, the Single, the Unique, the All-Informed. O prisoner! Hearken to the call of the Wronged One. He remembers you and commands you to what is right in all conditions, and counsels you to wisdom, for through it man’s station becomes manifest among the people of possibility. O prisoner! We send Our prayers upon you from this station, and upon those who associate with the servants with spirit and fragrance, and with the wisdom which God has sent down in the Book.”
I hope that you will convey greetings and glorification on behalf of the servant to the sisters. God knows that the servant remembers them most of the time. Peace and glory be upon you and the people of the household and upon those who follow God’s decree in all conditions.
And regarding what you mentioned about the Khan, upon him be the Glory of God, the Beloved said:
“Neither he nor those with him should turn toward this direction. He must hear what We command him. By the life of the Beloved, if he does what he desires, We shall neither face him nor associate with him until God wills.”
The servant, on 8 Jumada II 1298.
BH00291: Praise be to God Who hath individuated Himself through…
Introduction
In the name of our Lord, the Most Impenetrable, the Most Holy, the Most Exalted, the Most Glorious.
Praise be to God Who hath individuated Himself through utterance and warbled through speech. Verily He it is Who spoke the First Word, whereupon the Supreme Pen was thunderstruck by the sweetness of the Call. When it recovered, supreme joy overtook it; it prostrated itself and said: Praise be unto Thee, O Lord of Names and Creator of Heaven, for having caused me to hear Thy sweetest call and made me the interpreter for Thy servants in the kingdom of creation. I beseech Thee, O Lord of all beings and Sovereign of the hereafter and the former times, to make my shrill voice a Kawthar of life for all contingent beings and the choice wine of divine knowledge for the followers of all religions.
Thou art He from Whose knowledge nothing escapeth, and no decree is impossible for Thee. Thou givest and withholdest, and Thou art the Almighty to Whose power and sovereignty all atoms testify, and all beings to Whose might and authority bear witness. Blessed is the servant who hath tasted the Salsabil of Thy love, cast away vain imaginings through Thy Name, shattered the idols through Thy power, and arose to serve Thee out of love for Thy Beauty. I beseech Thee to make me a light unto Thy loved ones and a fire unto Thine enemies. Thou art, verily, the Almighty, the Ruler over whatsoever He pleaseth, and in Thy hand is the kingdom of creation. There is none other God but Thee, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.
O God of creation, known by Thy Name, the Truth! Thou knowest, seest, and bearest witness that this evanescent servant hath exerted his utmost effort and striving to manifest Thy Cause, to exalt Thy Word, and to convey that wherewith Thou hast gladdened Thy servants and creatures, that they might behold Thy path and turn toward it with insight from Thee. Let them not be hindered by the allusions of those who have turned away from Thy Beauty, been heedless of Thy proof, and rejected that which Thou hast sent down from the heaven of Thy bounty and grace. O Lord! Illumine the eyes of Thy servants with the lights of Thy countenance and their hearts with the radiance of Thy knowledge. O Lord! They are Thy servants and Thy creation; acquaint them with that which they have neglected. Verily, Thou art the Almighty, the Most Exalted, the All-Forgiving, the Most Generous.
O my God, my Beloved! Thou art witness and well aware that this evanescent servant is occupied with Thy remembrance and that of Thy loved ones throughout the nights and days, and with utmost lowliness and supplication beseecheth Thee to confirm those souls who are enkindled with the fire of Thy love and are engaged in Thy service under all conditions. Thou art the Powerful and the Mighty. Thou beholdest that some have arisen to serve Thy Cause and are traveling through various lands in Thy Name. O Lord of the world and Goal of the nations! Increase at all times the fire of love in steadfast souls and protect them from oppressive hands, in such wise that no languor may overtake it nor pursue it. O Lord! Enable them to observe that which Thou hast revealed in Thy Book. Verily, Thou art the One Who hath power over whatsoever He willeth, and Thou art the All-Hearing, the All-Responding.
This humble one has repeatedly been blessed with your letters which diffused the fragrance of love for the Beloved of the worlds. In truth, each letter was a volume in praise of the Friend and a herald proclaiming souls’ arising to serve the Beloved. Blessed are the people of Baha whom nothing has prevented from that which they were commanded in the Book of our Lord, our Goal and the Goal of all who are in the heavens and earth. After observing these letters and traces from that beloved one, this servant found himself in such joy that the pen is powerless to describe it. After presenting this at the Most Holy Court and turning towards the Most Exalted Horizon, details were submitted. Repeatedly mention was made of you from the Tongue of Grandeur. May you ever be and continue to be blessed with that which God loves and is pleased with. These effulgent words shone forth from the horizon of the heaven of utterance:
He is the Powerful over whatsoever He willeth
O dear one! The servant in attendance has repeatedly presented your letters at the Most Holy Court. Praise be to God that you have been assisted to serve the Cause of God and to mention and praise Him. Verily He remembers whoever remembers Him, answers whoever seeks Him, and hears the mention of His loved ones and the praise of His chosen ones, and sees what befalls them in His path. All souls were created to serve the Cause of God, yet today most are veiled and occupied with their own imaginings. It behooves you, O dear one, and My loved ones to thank God for having aided you to remember Him and enabled you to serve Him and to manifest what He desired.
Verily He is the Master of the servants, the Sovereign of creation, and the Ruler in the beginning and in the end. O dear one, strive to attain all bounties and become the cause of affection and unity of hearts. The True One, exalted be His glory, created the world through loving kindness and compassion, and revealed sacred laws for the unity and concord of the people of the world, yet the heedless servants made it the cause of revolution and discord. Blessed is the soul who strives for the unity of the world’s peoples—such a one is of the people of Baha in the Crimson Book.
Blessed are ye, O inheritors of Moses, in that ye have turned, heard, responded and arisen to serve God, the Lord of the worlds. Verily He heareth what your tongues have uttered and seeth what ye have done in His path. He is verily the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing. We send Our greetings from this station upon thee and upon My loved ones there, and We have mentioned them and will mention them in that whereby their names shall endure throughout the kingdom. Thy Lord is verily the Powerful, the Mighty. God willing, may you be occupied at all times with the spread of the Word with perfect wisdom.
Thus far several Tablets and numerous letters have been sent. God willing, you have received them and will continue to receive them. A few days ago a detailed Tablet was revealed from the heaven of will and was sent, and specifically exalted Tablets were revealed for the mentioned souls—some were sent and some were delayed due to new circumstances. God willing, all will be sent. Two Most Holy and Most Exalted Tablets specifically for Aqa Shahvirdi and Aqa Isma’il, upon them be 96 [Baha’u’llah], which are among the remaining Tablets to be sent, will God willing be sent this time. A letter came from Tiflis and was immediately answered. God willing it has arrived and they have received it. Regarding what you mentioned about your brother Aqa Asadu’llah, it was presented at the Most Holy, Most Exalted Court. This is what was revealed in reply:
In the Name of God, the Most Unapproachable, the Most Holy
O dear one! Previously, special verses were sent down for Asadu’llah and Rahmatu’llah, and some wondrous and exalted verses descended from the heaven of loving-kindness and were dispatched. God willing, may they be blessed by the fragrances of divine verses and be engaged in His mention and praise. We make mention in this station of him who is named Jahangir H.A. and give him the glad tidings of God’s grace and mercy. Verily, He is the Protector of the sincere ones. O Jahangir! The All-Knowing One has turned towards thee and makes mention of thee with exalted words that thou mayest rejoice and be among the thankful. We have made mention of those who have believed with a remembrance whose fragrance shall not cease throughout the duration of thy Lord’s names, the All-Knowing.
Ask thou God to assist thee to remain steadfast in this Cause and to give thee to drink from the choice wine of His utterance, the Mighty, the Wondrous. The Promise hath come, and the Sovereign of the Manifestation speaketh before the Mount: “Verily, there is no God but Me, the Mighty, the Wise.” How many a learned one hath spoken through passion, and how many an ignorant one hath attained to the mention of the Lord of all beings, Who proclaimeth throughout the world: “Verily, there is no God but Me, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.” The glory rest upon thee and upon him who hath found the fragrance of the All-Merciful as it wafted between the heavens and the earth.
Mihr ʿAli Khan of Khaf
And likewise, concerning Jinab-i-Mihr ʿAli Khan, these exalted words were revealed from the heaven of grace:
He is the Dawning-Place from the horizon of proof
Glorified be He Who hath appeared and manifested what He desired. Verily, He is the One sought after in the beginning and in the end. O Mihr-ʿAli! There hath come before the Wronged One a letter wherein thou wast mentioned. We have made mention of thee with a remembrance that nothing can equal, as attesteth He with Whom is the decisive Word. Blessed is he who hath attained unto the Word of God and His remembrance, and woe unto every heedless doubter. Be thou vocal in the praise of thy Lord and steadfast in the service of His Cause in all conditions. Say: O servants of the All-Merciful in all lands! Fear ye God and abandon not what ye call upon by night and day.
This is your Lord, the All-Merciful, Who hath come with clear proof. Reflect, O ye who are endowed with insight! This is indeed the Promised One, through Whose mention the Scriptures and Tablets have been adorned. Say: By God! He hath come for your life and teacheth you what shall profit you in every world of the worlds of your Lord, the Mighty, the All-Bountiful. Beware lest ye deprive yourselves of the Greatest Joy or deny the bounty of God which hath descended in […] Blessed art thou for having attained unto the recognition of God and His Cause when every misbelieving transgressor turned away from Him. The glory rest upon thee and upon those who have held fast to […] the Most Great which was sent down from God, the Lord of Lords.
And concerning what you wrote about Jinab-i-Aqa Muhammad Sadiq, that after returning from the Land of Purpose he proceeded to Bukhara and guided two souls from among those related to Kalim to the Supreme Horizon—this detail was presented at the Most Holy Court. This is what the Tongue of Grandeur uttered:
He is the One manifest in the fortress of Akka through His Most Beautiful Names
We make mention of Muhammad-Qabli-Sadiq who attained the lights of the Kingdom when the Sovereign of might came with an authority that conquered all who dwell in the realm of possibility. He attained the lights of faith when the All-Merciful appeared with this Name whereby the hearts of lovers were melted. This is the Day wherein that which was never manifested before hath appeared, and that which caused the hearts of the chosen ones to be attracted hath been uttered. Say: This is the Day of God, did ye but know it, and this is the Cause of God, did ye but recognize it. Say: He walketh and the hosts of revelation, bearing the banners of verses, circle round Him—yet the people understand not. Say: He speaketh in the Kingdom of utterance saying “I am, verily, the All-Merciful”—yet most people hear not. They behold the proof of God yet turn away from it, and hear the verses of God yet dispute them—verily they perceive not.
We make mention of him who desired to drink from the Kawthar of utterance from the hand of the bounty of his Lord, the Mighty, the Loving, that this remembrance may draw him to a station wherein he may partake of that which the Tongue of Grandeur hath spoken: “Verily, I am God, the Supreme, the Self-Subsisting.” Reflect upon that which hath appeared in the realm of possibility and that which the All-Merciful hath sent down; then shalt thou find thyself in the stronghold of knowledge. Thus doth He command thee, with Whom is the preserved Book. Remember thy Lord in all conditions. He remembereth him who remembereth Him and aideth him who hath turned to the Praised Station. And We make mention of the other one whose acceptance hath been mentioned in this forbidden prison. Verily the Wronged One loveth God and His chosen ones, and remembereth them in the night season and throughout the day, at eventide and at dawn. Take the chalice of certitude in the name of thy Lord, despite those who have disbelieved in God by following the people of idle fancies.
As to what you wrote concerning the Mashriqu’l-Adhkar and the Mahall al-Barakah, and the Mahall-i-Shur, and the united and assured souls—praise be to God that the friends of Truth have attained to the service of the Cause. Regarding the blessed spot for which permission was previously sought and granted, and the Mashriqu’l-Adhkar which was revealed in the Most Holy Book, and consultation which hath ever been heard from the Tongue of Grandeur—all these matters are contingent upon wisdom, until difficulties and commotion be removed and they become not the cause of grief and sorrow to holy hearts. This evanescent servant beseecheth God that He may aid all the friends to that which is beloved, and concerning what you wrote asking that God may grant success to act with utmost steadfastness according to His revealed laws in His Book during His days.
This matter that was submitted received a manifestation of favor from the horizon of grace, shining and evident, and He spoke these blessed words, exalted be His glory:
May their mention, God willing, be manifest and evident from the horizons of the Book. This is a station wherein the denizens of the Kingdom take pride. Rejoice, O friends of God, in that the glance of God hath been directed towards you from His mighty Throne, and hath mentioned you in such wise as to cause the Supreme Paradise to rejoice—and I am the All-Seeing Witness. God willing, may your names be mentioned at the Throne, your temples stand in service before His Cause, your tongues speak His praise and utterance, and your eyes be directed to the Most Great Prospect. Rejoice in that ye have attained unto mentions that cannot be equaled by anything that eyes can behold. God willing, strive ye that discord and differences may be removed from the world. It behooveth you to observe the counsels of God and that which ye have been commanded by One Who is Sympathetic, All-Knowing.
A letter from His Honor Aqa Muhammad-Taqi, upon him be the Glory of God, was written to this lowly one. After reading it, this lowly one submitted its details before His Presence. This is what the Tongue of the All-Merciful uttered in the Kingdom of utterance:
He is the Rememberer and the Remembered
O Muhammad-Qabli-Taqi! May thou drink at all times from the ocean of the All-Merciful’s bounty and engage, purely for His sake, in service to His Cause. Time and again hath thy mention flowed from the Most Exalted Pen. Blessed is the servant who hath attained unto this most glorious station. Woe unto the heedless! This Day is attributed unto the Truth. All the friends must strive to receive their full portion thereof. We make mention of Abdul-Baha and give him the glad-tidings of My Most Great Remembrance, and counsel him with that whereby the Cause of God, the Lord of the worlds, will be exalted. And We make mention of Abdul-Jalal that he may rejoice in the bounty of his Lord, the All-Bountiful. Blessed is the youth who hath turned with his heart to the Most Sublime Horizon, and blessed is the child who hath spoken that which the Nightingale spoke upon the branches of the Lote-Tree that proclaimeth: “There is none other God but Me, the Forgiving, the Merciful.” The glory be upon thee and upon thy two sons and thy wife from the presence of the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.
And likewise concerning Aqa Ishaq these sublime words shone forth from the Dayspring of the Will of the Revealer of verses:
He is the Most Ancient, the Most Generous
This is a Book sent down by the All-Bestowing to him who hath turned unto the Countenance and drunk the choice wine of life from the hand of the bounty of his Lord, the All-Bountiful. O Ishaq! The Luminary of the horizons, Who is imprisoned in this fortress through that which the hands of the oppressors have wrought, maketh mention of thee. Hearken unto the Call from the direction of the snow-white Spot, then give thanks unto thy Lord, the Forgiving, the Merciful. Verily He heareth thy call and witnesseth thy turning unto Him. He hath turned unto thee and made mention of thee in this perspicuous Tablet. Grieve not at anything, but place thy trust in all matters in the Strong, the Almighty. Verily He is with those who love Him—He heareth and seeth, and He is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. Ask thou God to assist all to achieve that which the Dayspring of Revelation hath desired and to aid them to serve His Most Great and Mighty Cause.
Thy [intention?] hath also been accepted before the Throne. Verily it hath been adorned with the ornament of acceptance from God, the Mighty, the Wise. Previously, the glad-tidings of this matter were written and sent. Convey my greetings to the divine friends who are present in that land. Express my sincere greetings and praise to the spiritual loved one, the son of Ismullah-i-Asdaq—upon them both be 966 [Baha’u’llah]. The expression of sincerity and praise from this servant is bound to the love of that person. Likewise, I convey greetings to all the honored ones—Mulla Ali and Aqa Mirza Kazim, upon them both be 966 [Baha’u’llah], and Aqa Khudadad and others, upon them be the glory of God. I hope that through the detachment of these assured souls, the effects of detachment may become manifest in the world, and through their steadfastness in God’s Cause, they may become the cause of steadfastness and assurance for doubtful and troubled souls. By the life of the Beloved! Pure deeds have influence in the kingdom. This matter is clear and evident to every person of insight. Blessed are the companions of God, and blessed are His loved ones through whom the decree of the Covenant appeared and the horizons were illumined.
O friends! Today is the Day wherein whatsoever appeareth for God’s sake shall endure and remain established through the perpetuity of God’s names. The servant beseecheth his Lord and your Lord, his Beloved and your Beloved, to assist him and you in this Cause whereby the mighty deep hath been stirred, and every mighty fortress and every lofty mountain hath quaked. Praise be to God, our Lord, the Mighty, the Impregnable.
BH03084: This is mentioned in the Persian tongue so…
In the Name of the All-Knowing Speaker
This is mentioned in the Persian tongue so that the souls in that land may hear and discover: The True One, exalted be His glory, promised and gave glad tidings to all the peoples of the earth through the tongue of the Prophets and Messengers concerning this most holy, most mighty and most luminous Day, that all might prepare themselves for the divine presence and not let slip the time.
Yet when the Sun of Revelation shone forth from the horizon of Will, all turned away and rose up in opposition. Would that they had been content with such actions! Rather, they arose to spread calumnies and issued verdicts for the shedding of pure blood. There remained no land wherein their blood was not shed, and no air unto which their sighs did not ascend. Verily thy Lord is the All-Numbering, the All-Knowing.
These abominable deeds have been and will be the cause of tribulation and hardship for all on earth. For many years afflictions have not ceased from the earth but rather pour forth like torrential rain. If they subside in one direction, they flame forth from another.
Holy, assured, content and well-pleased souls—whatever befalls them has been and will be in the path of God. If they are martyred, their spirits ascend to the Most Glorious Companion and find their dwelling in the highest Paradise. By the life of God, theirs is the best end and most excellent return! But oppressive souls shall be afflicted with the flames of divine wrath a second time, and after their spirits depart they shall be tormented with a punishment a hundred thousand times more severe than earthly torment. Thus doth inform thee He with Whom is the knowledge of the Book.
Afflictions will not cease until they repent and return unto God, the Lord of all worlds. Blessed art thou for having turned to the Face when every ignorant doubter turned away.
Convey this Tablet to the loved ones in that land that they may attain supreme joy and become aware of their station and rank, and preserve their stations through the Name of God. The glory be upon thee and upon them from the presence of the Kind, the All-Merciful.
BH03266: Observe and reflect upon what hath come to pass…
In the name of the Desire of the world
Observe and reflect upon what hath come to pass in the world. The divines and mystics of the earth were, night and day, supplicating and yearning to attain unto the presence of the Divine Day which was mentioned and recorded in the Books. Whenever they would hear the word “Qa’im” they would all rise up in reverence to His name and utter the words “May God hasten His relief.” Throughout this time they failed to perceive what distress existed that they should seek relief for His Holiness from God. They were deprived of understanding this matter.
Furthermore, when the horizon of the world was illumined with the light of the appearance of the Most Great Herald, all arose in opposition and inflicted upon that blessed Being, Who was in truth a divine subtlety and a celestial melody, that which hath been heard and witnessed. And when afterwards the Sun of Truth dawned from the Horizon of Will, it was observed what they said and what they committed. In truth the Pen is powerless to recount it. To prove their contentions they cling to the Book while remaining heedless of and turning away from the Mother Book. More remote than these souls are the people of the Bayan, who have been and continue to be deprived by the buzzing of a fly from the divine melody, and who have remained far from the Lord of Lords.
Now consider the worth and station of the souls who have accepted the Faith. I swear by the Sun of the horizon of utterance that these souls have no peer or likeness, for the greatest veil, which was the divines of the age, did not prevent them from the Truth, exalted be His glory. With the arm of certitude they shattered the idols of vain imaginings and turned toward the Lord of this manifest Day. Blessed are ye for having attained unto this most exalted station, to which the Lord of creation hath testified in His mighty prison. I counsel you and My loved ones to remain steadfast in this Most Great, Most Mighty Cause.
The glory be upon you from God, the Forgiving, the Generous.
BH04046: We have observed thy turning unto Us and have…
He is the Most Ancient, the Most Great, the Most Glorious
We have observed thy turning unto Us and have turned unto thee from this Station wherein the Tongue of Grandeur proclaimeth: “There is no God but Me, the All-Compelling, the Self-Subsisting.” We have heard thy call and have answered thee through this Book which, when sent down from the heaven of thy Lord’s Will, caused all things to proclaim: “By God! The Promised One hath come with manifest sovereignty!” This is the Day of Remembrance and Utterance, yet the people perceive not. This is the Day wherein the Herald calleth out continually: “Rejoice, O peoples of the earth, for the Most Great Joy hath appeared, inasmuch as the Temple of the Cause hath been established upon the throne of His Name, the Self-Subsisting.”
Say: Fear God, and follow not your idle fancies. Follow Him Who hath come unto you with a Command from God, the Lord of what was and what shall be. Say: Soon shall your ornaments and that wherein ye take pride this day perish, while that which hath been sent down from My Most Exalted Pen shall endure in a preserved Tablet. Blessed art thou for having turned unto God when heedless servants turned away from Him—they who cast behind them God’s Covenant and Testament by following every rejected ignorant one. We ordained the sciences for the knowledge of My Name, the Self-Subsisting, yet when He appeared in truth, every imagined learned one turned away from Him. Blessed is the servant whom the veils of glory have not withheld from the All-Glorious, the Self-Sufficient. We testify that he is of the people of Baha in a preserved Tablet.
We send Our greetings from this Station to the faces of Our loved ones in that place, who have held fast to the Book when it was sent down in truth and who have acted according to that which they were commanded by the True One, the Knower of things unseen. The glory be upon thee and upon thy father and thy mother and those with thee, from God, the Lord of all kingdoms.
BH04342: God, exalted be His glory, praises and glorifies Himself…
In the Name of the One God
God, exalted be His glory, praises and glorifies Himself through His friends, and this is the true praise and glorification. Whosoever attains to this station has attained to all good. Praise be to God!
After the Sun of Permission dawned from the horizon of the Will of the Lord of Oneness, thou didst journey toward the Prison, and didst arrive at that praiseworthy place, and didst hear the voice of the Wronged One. If thou wert to become aware of the greatness and majesty of this station, such joy would seize thee that its sweetness would never fade.
All bounty and grace and favor have been and shall ever be within the grasp of God’s power, exalted be His glory. He bestoweth whatsoever He willeth and withholdeth whatsoever He desireth. Praise be unto Him! Again, praise be unto Him for having caused thee to attain unto this most great station!
The whole of creation hath been brought into being for the recognition of this blessed and glorious Day. Nevertheless, all are observed to be veiled and deprived save whom God willeth, the Self-Subsisting, the All-Compelling.
Say: Praise be unto Thee, O my God, for having enabled me to recognize the Dayspring of Thy Cause and the Dawning-Place of Thy most beautiful names amidst all peoples. I beseech Thee by Thy Most Glorious Name to assist me under all conditions to remain steadfast in this mighty Cause, whereby the hearts of those who clung to what they possessed and turned away from what Thou hast were thrown into commotion. O Lord! Thou seest me clinging to the hem of Thy bounty. Ordain for me that which shall profit me in Thy worlds. Verily, Thou art the One Who hath power over whatsoever He willeth, and within Thy grasp is the dominion of the kingdom of the heavens and earth. Praise be unto Thee, O God of the worlds!
BH04820: This is a Book sent down in truth…
He is the One Who hath dawned from the horizon of the world.
This is a Book sent down in truth from God, the Lord of the worlds. Verily it acquainteth the people with the Dawning-Place of divine inspiration and guideth them to My straight path.
Say: By God! The promise hath come to pass, and He Who was promised hath appeared, yet most of the people remain heedless. The world hath been adorned with the lights of the Most Great Name, yet most of the nations wander distracted. The wine of vain desires hath so seized them that they have been kept back from the Lord of all beings, Who speaketh the truth: “There is none other God but Me, the Forgiving, the Generous.”
Blessed is he who hath heard the call of God and responded to his Lord, the Manifest, the Mighty, the Inaccessible. We have heard thy call and have called out to thee from the direction of the luminous Spot, and We have seen thy turning toward Us on this Day whereon the Lord of destiny proclaimeth from the Most Great Scene: “There is none other God but Me, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.” Say: By God! The Mother Book speaketh the truth, were ye of them that hear.
Say: He hath appeared with that Justice wherewith mankind hath been adorned, and yet the people are, for the most part, asleep. Cast away what ye possess, in the name of your Lord, the Lord of all mankind, and take hold of that which ye have been commanded by One Who is knowing and wise. Thus hath the Tongue of Grandeur spoken, while imprisoned in this mighty place.
The glory of God rest upon thee and upon whoso hath heard My call and turned unto My horizon and circled round My will and acted according to that which hath been sent down in My Book that beareth witness in My Kingdom that there is none other God but Me, the Manifest, the All-Knowing.
BH04905: O ʿAli! If thou shouldst praise God, exalted be…
In the Name of the One Friend
O ʿAli! If thou shouldst praise God, exalted be His glory, with all the tongues of the world, it would still be little and insufficient. Reflect upon His boundless grace and favor—He hath enabled thee to attain unto a Cause from which the learned ones, the mystics, the men of letters, and the princes of the earth are seen to be heedless and deprived.
All people, with the utmost lowliness and supplication, beseeched the Self-Sufficient, the Exalted, for the attainment of this Day which is mentioned as the Day of God. Yet when the lights of the promised Day dawned from the Dayspring of divine Will, all remained veiled and bereft thereof, save whom thy Lord, the Lord of all worlds, willed.
Through the infinite bounty of the Friend thou hast become aware of this divine subtlety and turned towards the truth. That Word which the chiefs of the earth flee from hearing and avoid—through divine grace thou didst hear it and turn to the most exalted horizon. This station is most great—guard it from the treacherous and the thieves.
Convey to all the friends in that land the greetings of the Wronged One and say: This is the Day of remembrance and praise, and the Day of steadfastness and service, for whatsoever is manifested from any soul in the Divine Day endureth as long as the Most Beautiful Names endure.
BH04760: Divine favors have been directed towards you and you…
In the name of the One Friend.
Divine favors have been directed towards you and you have been engaged in the mention of God and service to His Cause. All matters are remembered before His presence and recorded in the Preserved Tablet. The reward of no one has been lost. Know thou the value of this exalted station and preserve it as thou wouldst thy life. God willing, may the coldness of the earthly world not prevent thee from being enkindled, nor deprive thee from the eternal station. Know thou the value of this bounty and speak forth in praise and thanksgiving.
The Tablets which you had requested in previous years and which were promised, were revealed in those same days until they were sent this year in the company of Mulla Muhammad-ʿAli. Verily, He fulfilleth what He hath promised.
The Divine Tablet has been and will ever be a helper and supporter in all conditions—that is, in life and death, in presence and absence. For the living it is the Water of Life, and for the dead it is eternal and abiding remembrance. Blessed is he who hath attained unto the Word of God in his life and after his death. This is why the Primal Point—may the spirit of all else be sacrificed for Him—hath said that all exists for the sake of being mentioned but once in His presence.
Therefore be thou grateful for thy Lord’s favor and say:
“Praise be unto Thee, O God of all who are in the heavens and the earth, for having honored me and granted me what I desired from the ocean of Thy bounty. Verily, Thou art the All-Bountiful, the Generous.”
BH05257: Praise be to God that through the effulgences…
In the name of the Aim of all the worlds!
Praise be to God that through the effulgences of the rays of the Sun of divine favor thou hast succeeded in that which most of the servants are deprived and forbidden.
How many are the possessors of knowledge and learning who today walk in the paths of fancy and vain imaginings, although all have acknowledged and do acknowledge the appearance of the Truth and the advent of the Promised One with the Cause of God. Woe unto them and unto those who follow them without any clear proof or Book from God, the Lord of the worlds.
Know thou the value of thine own station and strive that thou mayest attain to that which, when mentioned, shall endure as long as the kingdom of earth and heaven endureth. That which the senses perceive today shall soon return to nothingness. But that which floweth from the Most Exalted Pen hath been and shall forever be eternal.
Hold thou fast unto the cord of the favor of thy Lord, the All-Forgiving, the Most Generous. In all matters fix thy gaze upon the Truth and place thy trust in Him.
Say: O my God! I have turned wholly unto Thee. Through Thy bounty, ordain for me that which Thou desirest. I know not what profiteth me. Thou art the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. I beseech Thee by Thy Most Exalted Word and by the Supreme Horizon to ordain for me through the Pen of Thy bounty that which shall benefit me in all the worlds of Thy worlds. Verily Thou art the All-Powerful, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.
BH05260: Praised be God Who manifested Himself and uttered…
In the Name of Him Who is the Most Holy, the Most Great, the Most Glorious
Praised be God Who manifested Himself and uttered a Word whereby all who are in the heavens and earth were thunderstruck, save certain Letters of the Countenance. Thus doth the Supreme Pen testify at this hour when the Lord of all beings hath, with His Most Glorious Name, been established upon His mighty throne.
Blessed art thou for having turned thy face toward the Countenance of God by His leave, and for having entered the Most Great Prison, and for having stood at the door and heard the call of the Wronged One Who summoneth all unto God, the Peerless, the All-Informed. Blessed is the eye that hath beheld the Most Great Sign, and the ear that hath heard My most sweet call, and the heart that hath turned toward My most exalted horizon.
By My life! This is the Day of witnessing and meeting, yet most of the people are fast asleep. Rejoice thou for having attained unto Him Who was promised in the Books of God, the Lord of all worlds, and of Whom every Prophet and every trusted Messenger gave glad tidings.
We have forgiven thee and accepted from thee what thou didst desire in the path of God. Be thou thankful and say: Praise be unto Thee, O God of the worlds.
We send Our greetings upon thee and upon Ahmad who hath outstripped most of the servants in his love for God and his turning unto Him, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. And We send Our greetings upon those who have believed in that land and give them glad tidings through this Remembrance whereby their names shall endure in the Kingdom of their Lord, the Mighty, the Invincible.
BH06420: This is the Day which all peoples were promised…
He is the Most Holy, the Most Great, the Most Exalted, the Most Glorious
This is the Day which all peoples were promised in the previous Books. Each of the Prophets and Messengers, by the command of the Lord of the Worlds, gave tidings to all on earth of this blessed Day which is attributed to the Truth. How excellent is the state of the one who became aware of it and found himself detached and free from all else save God.
Today the Mother Book calleth out and summoneth the peoples of the world to the Lord of Eternity. Blessed is he who possesseth the hearing wherewith to hear its call and turneth to it with his heart.
Rejoice thou in that the Wronged One hath remembered thee from the precincts of His Most Great Prison and giveth thee glad tidings of that which hath been revealed in the Scriptures of God, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.
God willing, through the grace of God, exalted be His glory, thou shalt drink from the Kawthar of steadfastness and receive thy portion of the choice sealed Wine, and engage in service to the divine Cause. This is the greatest of all deeds in the sight of the Self-Sufficing, the Most High.
Blessed are they that attain! Blessed are they that understand! Praise be to God, the Lord of the Worlds.
BH06639: The fire has been kindled by the deeds…
He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing
The fire has been kindled by the deeds of the transgressors who have violated God’s covenant and testament and followed every remote oppressor. We made knowledge for the recognition of the Known One, but when He appeared in truth, every dubious scholar turned away from Him. The people have committed that which has caused the Concourse on High and the dwellers of Paradise to lament, as witnessed by the One Who possesses the Preserved Tablet.
When the fire of their own selves encompassed them, they cried for help but found no helper, and they called out but received no response. Thus was the matter decreed from the presence of the Mighty, the Powerful. Greater than what befell them in their vain life has been ordained for the transgressors, as attested by the Lord of creation when seated upon His mighty throne.
Blessed is he who has attained the supreme martyrdom in this Day which was promised in the Scriptures of God, the Lord of the worlds. Grieve not over anything. Rather give thanks to thy Lord for having sent down unto thee this noble Book which beareth witness to the permanence of sovereignty and dominion, wouldst thou but recognize its station and be of them that are firmly grounded.
BH06885: O Varqa, O thou who gazest toward the Most…
He is the Remembering One, the Speaking One, the Trustworthy One.
O Varqa, O thou who gazest toward the Most Exalted Horizon! The Lord of Names remembereth thee from this Spot which hath been named the White Place. Verily thy Lord is the All-Knowing and His name is the All-Wise.
Thou shouldst, through divine grace, remind all the friends in that land so that all may hold fast to that which beseemeth the Days of God and act accordingly. By My life! The earth proclaimeth, the Balance speaketh, and the Mother Book crieth out: “The All-Bountiful hath come in His Great Name!” God willing, may all be assisted to do that which He loveth and approveth.
In all conditions, set ablaze the dispirited souls with the fire of divine love and remind them of His verses, for the people are weak and God is strong and compassionate.
Blessed are the people of Baha, for they are the companions of the Crimson Ark. Neither veils nor allusions can hinder them. Upon them be the Glory of God, and His grace and mercy which have preceded existence.
The glory shining forth from the horizon of splendor be upon thee and upon those who have attained unto this praiseworthy station.
BH07254: A Book sent down in truth from God…
He is the Dawning Place from the horizon of the world
A Book sent down in truth from God, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting, to him who hath attained the lights of recognition when the All-Merciful came with manifest sovereignty. Take thou the chalice of salvation in the name of the Cleaver of Dawn, then drink therefrom through this Name through which, when it appeared, appeared the mysteries of what was and what will be. Beware lest anything prevent thee from God, the Lord of existence. Cast aside what is with the people and take what thou hast been given from the presence of the Truth, the Knower of things unseen. We have heard thy call and have answered thee as a grace from Our presence. Be thou grateful and say: “Praise be unto Thee, O Lord of the unseen and the seen!” Thus hath crowed the cock and cooed the nightingale when the Tongue of Grandeur spoke: “The Kingdom belongeth unto God, the Mighty, the Loving!” Hold fast to the cord of grace and cling to the hem of thy Lord’s robe, the All-Forgiving. The Glory be upon thee and upon thy father and upon those who have turned to the praiseworthy station.
BH06908: Praise be to God that you were preserved…
He is the All-Witnessing, the All-Informed.
Praise be to God that you were preserved from the sedition of the second ʿUbaydu’llah. Thus was it ordained by the All-Powerful, the Ancient.
O Husayn! That which befell the helpless people was but a single spark that blazed forth from the fire of the self of the Wolf and the Serpent. By the life of God! This single flame hath not sufficed, nor will it suffice, unless all the peoples of the world cry out “O Merciful! O Compassionate!” and become confirmed in a firm and mighty repentance.
A most mighty and holy Tablet hath been sent down from the heaven of the Divine Will specifically for that exalted one who hath passed away—upon him be My glory and My mercy and My loving-kindness. God willing, sanctified souls and receptive hearts shall attain to its reading. Verily thy Lord fulfilleth what He hath promised. He is the best of fulfillers.
Praise be to God, the Lord of all worlds. Convey greetings from God to all the friends. We beseech God to aid them to act in accordance with what He hath revealed in His Generous Book.
BH07193: My tongue hath testified to My Self, and My…
He is the One manifest above all things.
My tongue hath testified to My Self, and My Self hath testified to My Temple, and this is a testimony which, were God to reveal it, would cause the highest to become the lowest, the pillars to quake, hearts to be perturbed, and souls to tremble. Thus hath My tongue spoken in the kingdom of Mine utterance.
Blessed is he who hath caused his will to be annihilated in My will and hath attained to the affirmation of that which hath descended from the heaven of My will and flowed from My Pen. He is of the people of the paradise of My knowledge and the companions of My Ark, which the All-Merciful hath mentioned in His perspicuous Book.
Blessed art thou for having been sent down unto thee this Tablet wherein the Wronged One, the Imprisoned, the Stranger, hath testified and confessed to His own Self. When thou attainest unto it, render thanks unto God, thy Lord and the Lord of the worlds, and say:
“I testify that Thou hast manifested that which lay hidden in the treasuries of the unseen and concealed in the repositories of Thine infallibility. There is none other God but Thee, the Single, the One, the All-Powerful, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.”
BH07006: Verses have been revealed of such magnitude that every…
He is the Manifest, the Hidden
Verses have been revealed of such magnitude that every soul beholds itself powerless to recount them. The evidences have appeared, and the signs and allusions of the divine Books and heavenly Scriptures have all been fulfilled. The banner of the Revelation hath been raised upon the heights, and the Truth, exalted be His glory, calleth aloud with the most great call. Yet despite this, the people remain deprived and forbidden. This is but fitting, for not every eye is worthy to behold, nor every ear fit to hear. The intoxication of perishable ornaments hath prevented the servants from everlasting favors. They have clung to these few fleeting days, and remain heedless of that which is with God. Blessed is the state of that soul whom the veils of the world and the clouds of the peoples have not prevented from the Most Great Name and the Lord of Eternity. Such a one is accounted among the people of Baha in the Book of Names—to this doth He Who cleft the heavens bear witness in this clear Tablet. Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.
BH07753: The dawn of utterance has appeared, and the Tongue…
He is the Most Ancient, the Most Great!
The dawn of utterance has appeared, and the Tongue of the All-Merciful speaks forth in this mighty prison, making mention of His loved ones who have drunk the choice wine of divine knowledge through His name, the Mighty, the All-Wise. We make mention of everyone who has turned towards the Countenance and every knower who has believed in God, the Lord of all worlds.
Blessed is he who heard the Call when it was raised between earth and heaven and responded to his Ancient Lord. How many a prince turned away from the Truth and deprived himself of the Most Great Joy which appeared with manifest sovereignty! And how many a poor one heard and hastened until he reached the shore of the ocean of divine knowledge, from whose waves can be heard: “There is none other God but Him, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.”
Joy be unto thee for having turned towards the Countenance when most of the servants turned away from it, and blessed art thou for having attained the Tablet of God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. When thou hast attained unto it, render thanks and glorify the praise of thy Lord, the Generous Bestower.
BH07774: Say: O God, Lord of earth and heaven…
In His Name, the All-Forgiving, the All-Bountiful
Say: O God, Lord of earth and heaven and Sovereign over all names! I testify that Thou hast ever existed in the heights of might, grandeur and majesty. The necks of all created beings have bowed before the manifestations of Thy power, and all voices have been hushed at the raising of Thy most sweet call throughout the lands. Every king hath prostrated himself at the revelation of Thy might, and every prince hath been humbled before the evidences of Thy greatness. Thou art He to Whose oneness and singleness all have testified. I beseech Thee, O Thou Who art the Goal of the world and the Beloved of the nations, by Thy Self, to ordain for me that which befitteth Thy grace and to aid me in Thy remembrance and service. O my Lord! A poor one hath turned toward the ocean of Thy bounty, and one who hopeth toward the horizon of Thy mercy. I beseech Thee not to deprive him of that which shall profit him in Thy worlds. Verily Thou art the Almighty over whatsoever Thou willest, and in Thy grasp are the reins of all things. There is none other God but Thee, the Mighty, the All-Wise.
BH07619: A mention from Us to him who desires…
He is the Witness, the All-Hearing
A mention from Us to him who desires to drink of My choice-sealed wine from the hand of the bounty of his Lord, the Gracious. He is among them that believed in God when the horizon of the world was illumined by the Day-Star of the Revelation of his Lord, the Most Exalted, the Most Great. Blessed is he who hath turned toward the Heart of the world, and he who hath set his face toward the countenance of God, the Lord of all worlds. The Call hath been raised, but ears are manifestly deaf. The horizon of grace hath been illumined, but eyes are grievously afflicted. The Book hath been sent down, but hands are occupied with that which befitteth not this wondrous and glorious Day. Thus hath the Tongue spoken as the All-Merciful walketh in this mighty stronghold. Be thou thankful for My remembrance of thee, then praise God for this beauteous remembrance wherewith the Concourse on High hath remembered thee. Verily thy Lord is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. The glory rest upon thee and upon thy father and thy brothers and upon them that have believed in God, the Mighty, the Most Praised.
BH07804: This is a Book which the Truth, the Knower…
In the Name of Him Who is Powerful over whatsoever He willeth
This is a Book which the Truth, the Knower of the unseen, hath sent down unto him who hath turned towards the Supreme Horizon and believed in God, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting. How many a servant awaited the days of the Manifestation, yet when He appeared rejected Him and disputed with the verses of God when they were sent down in truth. And how many a servant, when he heard the Call, was so attracted that he cast away the world and all that is therein and hastened to the ocean of reunion, crying out, speaking forth and remembering:
“I testify that Thou hast appeared in truth and hast revealed that which was hidden in the pavilion of Thine infallibility. There is none other God but Thee, the Mighty, the Loving.”
We observed thee turning towards Us, wherefore We turned unto thee and remembered thee through this irrevocable Book which hath testified in the world to that which the Tongue of Eternity hath testified: The Promise hath appeared and the Promised One hath come with manifest sovereignty. Glory be upon thee and upon those who have attained unto the recognition of God, the Lord of what was and what shall be.
BH07788: In My Name through which was opened the Gate…
In My Name through which was opened the Gate of Heaven! Say: O my God and the God of the worlds, my Lord and the Lord of all peoples! I beseech Thee by the Name through which, when it was manifested, the Call was raised from all things, and the Concourse on High proclaimed:
“By God! The Hidden Mystery and the Treasured Secret have appeared, yet most of the people are heedless!”
The Most Exalted Pen hath moved upon the Luminous Page, and the Tongue of Grandeur hath spoken between earth and heaven, yet the people do not understand. They have cast the principles of God behind their backs and followed the principles of their own selves—nay, they know not!
O loved ones of the All-Merciful in all lands! Take hold of the Book of your Most Exalted Lord, then act according to what hath been sent down therein from God, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting.
Glory be unto those who have testified to that whereunto God testified before the creation of the heavens and earth—that there is none other God but Him, the Mighty, the Loving!
BH07899: O my God, my Beloved, my Lord, my Support…
He is the Most Holy, the Most Great, the Most Glorious
O my God, my Beloved, my Lord, my Support, and my Hope! I testify that Thou hast ever been One, Single, Self-Subsisting, Alone, and wilt continue to be what Thou hast always been. Every learned one hath confessed his ignorance before the manifestations of the lights of Thy knowledge, and every one possessed of understanding hath acknowledged his powerlessness before the evidences of Thy might.
O Lord! Thou art He before the revelation of Whose riches every wealthy one hath testified to his poverty, and before the manifestations of Whose power every mighty one hath witnessed to his weakness. I beseech Thee, after my confession of my poverty and my acknowledgment of my evanescence, to ordain for me, through Thy bounty and favors, that which will preserve me from all else but Thee, and will render me wholly devoted to Thy remembrance, steadfast in Thy service, and turned in all conditions toward Thy face.
O Lord! Thou knowest my powerlessness and I know Thy might; Thou witnesseth my ignorance and I testify to Thy knowledge. I beseech Thee not to withhold from me the outpourings of the clouds of Thy mercy and the heaven of Thy grace. Verily, Thou art the Almighty, the Powerful, the Generous.
BH08039: He is the Most Holy, the Most Great. Verily…
He is the Most Holy, the Most Great. Verily the Remembrance calls out between earth and heaven: “By God! He Who is remembered has come with a Cause before which all who are in the heavens and earth shall not stand.” Knowledge calls out: “He Who is known has come with His Name the Self-Subsisting. Blessed is he who has turned to Him, and woe to the heedless.” Hearing proclaims: “The All-Hearing has come, yet the people remain behind a manifest veil.” And sight cries out: “The Most Great Vision has been adorned through the manifestation of God, the Lord of destiny. Joy to those who have attained to witnessing and meeting, and woe to the deniers.”
Your remembrance was mentioned before the Wronged One, and this wondrous tablet was revealed for you. Beware lest anything prevent you from God, the Lord of all worlds. Take the Book with strength from Our presence and say:
“Praise be to Thee, O Thou Goal of the mystics, for having turned to Thy servant and revealed unto him that which has diffused the fragrance of Thy utterance. Verily Thou art the Forgiving, the Bountiful.”
BH08372: Say: Glory be to Thee, O my God, my…
Say: Glory be to Thee, O my God, my Lord, my Support, my Beloved, and my Heart’s Desire!
My outward and inward tongue both testify that Thou hast ever been One God, Single, Sole, Self-Subsisting, and wilt ever continue to be even as Thou hast been. There is no God but Thee, the Mighty, the Dominant, the Powerful, the Omnipotent.
O my Lord! Thou seest me turning toward the gate of Thy grace, hoping for the wonders of Thy bounty and generosity. I beseech Thee by the Name through which the tribes were shaken and earthquakes appeared, through which the heaven was cleft asunder and the mountains were moved, to ordain for me that which Thou lovest and with which Thou art well-pleased.
I implore Thee to make me detached from my own will and desire, abiding in Thy will, acting according to Thy desire, and hoping for that which Thou lovest. And I beseech Thee by Thy all-encompassing favor and Thine ancient bounty to ordain for me that which is best in Thy sight.
Verily, Thou art God, the Giving, the Bountiful.
BH08202: A mention from Us to him who hath attained…
He is the All-Witnessing, the All-Informed
A mention from Us to him who hath attained unto the lights of recognition when the All-Merciful came with a Cause at which every idol wailed and every confident and discerning one rejoiced. Hearken thou unto the Call from the precincts of the Prison, then bear witness to that whereunto God did bear witness ere the creation of the heavens and the names, that there is none other God but Him, the Single, the All-Wise. Blessed be the face that hath turned this day toward the Countenance of God and the heart that hath set itself toward His luminous horizon. We have found the fragrance of thy love and have remembered thee in this perspicuous Tablet. Be thou ablaze with the fire of My love, soaring in Mine atmosphere, speaking My praise and glorification, arising to serve My Cause, and steadfast in My straight Path. Thus hath the living waters flowed from the Supreme Pen. Blessed is he who hath drunk thereof and hath said:
“Praise be unto Thee, O Thou the Goal of them that know!”
BH08093: May you be occupied with praise and remembrance…
In the Name of the One God
May you be occupied with praise and remembrance in this divine day, and be engaged in that which He loves and with which He is well-pleased. In all that is witnessed there has not been and will not be permanence, as every person of reason and understanding has testified and continues to testify. Therefore, wise and assured souls have not and will not pay attention to it. Strive to attain to that which is everlasting and eternal. In all conditions, beseech God, glorified be His majesty, to assist you in serving His Cause and in that which is pleasing to Him, for if you attain to this station, you will possess an enduring rank. This is the counsel of the Wronged One. Act accordingly and be of the thankful ones. From this station We send Our greetings to Our male and female servants who have held fast to the hem of their Lord’s loving-kindness, the Mighty, the Powerful.
BH08166: The whole world was gladdened by the mention…
He is the Most Great, the Most Ancient, the Most Glorious!
The whole world was gladdened by the mention of this wondrous Day and longed for its appearance, beseeching at all times that they might not be deprived of attaining the presence of this Day.
Yet when the divine Morn arose from the horizon of the world and the Most Great Luminary unveiled its countenance, all were found to be perturbed, wavering, turning away and denying—save for a few souls who, with the arm of certitude, shattered the idols of vain imaginings and, through the Name of the Self-Subsisting, rent asunder the veils of idle fancies. Upon them be My glory, My mercy and My loving-kindness that have preceded all the worlds.
The friends of God must, God willing, manifest such deeds and character that all may inhale from them the fragrance of the love of God.
Glory be upon thee and upon whosoever hath acknowledged that which the Supreme Pen hath spoken from its most exalted station.
BH08165: The whole world hath been created for this Divine…
He is the Most Ancient, the Most Great, the Most Glorious
The whole world hath been created for this Divine Day, and God, exalted be His glory, hath through the tongues of the Prophets and Messengers given the glad-tidings of this wondrous and sublime Day. In all the sacred Scriptures and Tablets this Day hath been designated as the Day of God. Nevertheless, all are seen to be occupied with their selfish desires and are heedless thereof, save those whom God hath willed. Whosoever hath attained unto the recognition of this most august, most holy, most exalted Day, he is mentioned and recorded among the chosen servants in the Perspicuous Book. Know ye the value of this lofty, this most exalted station, preserve it, and be ye in all conditions thankful unto God, glorified be He, inasmuch as He hath enabled you to attain this greatest of bounties. Verily thy Lord is the All-Bountiful, the All-Generous.
BH08376: Say: O my God and the God of all…
He is God, exalted be His glory, the Most Great, the Most Glorious
Say: O my God and the God of all names, my Creator and the Creator of the heavens! I beseech Thee by the Name through which all things were humbled and the Ark of loving-kindness sailed upon the sea of grandeur, and through which the waves of the ocean of Thy knowledge appeared among Thy creatures and the lights of the Sun of Thy wisdom shone forth from the horizon of Thy will, to make me one of those whom the clamor of the people hath not prevented from turning unto Thee, O Lord of creation! My Lord! Thou seest this weak one who hath clung to the cord of Thy power and raised his hands in supplication toward the heaven of Thy bounty and grace. O my Lord! Deny him not the fragrances of Thy verses and that which Thou hast ordained for Thy trusted ones who have arisen to serve Thy Cause and who have spoken in Thy praise and glorification. Verily, Thou art the One Who hath power over whatsoever Thou willest, and through Thy Name was raised the standard of “He doeth what He willeth.” There is none other God but Thee, the Forgiving, the Bountiful.
BH08958: Say: Glory be to Thee, O my God! Thou…
He is the Rememberer, the Speaker, the All-Knowing
Say: Glory be to Thee, O my God! Thou seest me turning toward the horizon of Thy Cause, gazing at the heaven of Thy grace, and awaiting the wonders of Thy bounty and generosity. I beseech Thee by Him through Whose name the veils and clouds of glory were rent asunder, the verses were sent down, and the clear proofs were revealed, to ordain for me through Thy Most Exalted Pen the good of this world and the world to come. Verily Thou art the Creator of heaven and the Possessor of all names. O Lord! I bear witness to that which Thy tongue did testify before the creation of Thy earth and heaven, that Thou art God, there is no God but Thee. Thou hast ever been sanctified beyond mention and utterance, and exalted above the conditions of all contingent beings. Thou wilt ever be what Thou hast been from time immemorial. There is no God but Thee, the Almighty, the Powerful.
BH09535: A Book sent down by the Lord of Names…
He is the Most Holy, the Most Ancient, the Most Exalted
A Book sent down by the Lord of Names to him who heard the Call and responded to his Ancient Lord, that it might make him detached from all else save God and draw him nigh unto a station wherein the atoms proclaim: “The Kingdom belongeth unto God, the One, the All-Knowing!”
We have heard the call of thy heart and have answered thee, and having witnessed thy turning unto Us, We have revealed unto thee this wondrous Tablet, which, when it descended from the Kingdom of Utterance, broke the back of the idols and shook the pillars of those who followed every ignorant remote one.
O My loved ones! Take ye the Book of God through His command, then follow that which hath been sent down therein from One Who is the Ordainer, the Ancient of Days. The splendor of God be upon the people of Baha from God, the Lord of the worlds.
BH09740: O My handmaiden, My handmaiden! Rejoice thou…
He is the Most Holy, the Most Great, the Most Glorious!
O My handmaiden, My handmaiden! Rejoice thou in that the Wronged One remembereth thee from His prison, and calleth upon thee with both His outward and inner tongue, saying: O Lord of the worlds and Beloved of the nations! I beseech Thee by the Name through Whose manifestation all things were attracted, and the Nightingale sang upon the branches of the Uttermost Tree, to ordain for Thy handmaiden that which shall solace her eyes, gladden her heart and dilate her breast. Thou art He Whom the might of princes cannot frustrate, nor the power of the mighty weaken, nor the clamour of the learned deter. Thou doest what Thou willest in Thy dominion, and in Thy grasp are held the kingdoms of creation. There is none other God but Thee, the Omnipotent, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.
BH09965: Say: Glory be to Thee, O my God…
He is the Manifest, the Speaking One, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise
Say: Glory be to Thee, O my God and the God of all names, my Creator and the Creator of the heavens! I beseech Thee by the light of Thy countenance after the extinction of all things, and by the fire of Thy Command in the Lote-Tree beyond which there is no passing, to assist me in Thy remembrance and praise in such wise that neither the hosts of the world nor the clamor of the nations shall prevent me. O Lord! Thou seest me turning unto Thee and holding fast to the cord of Thy bounty. I implore Thee by Thine ancient generosity and by Thy Most Great Name to ordain for me that which befitteth Thy grace, Thy bounty and Thy bestowal. Verily, Thou art the One with power over whatsoever Thou willest. There is no God but Thee, the All-Forgiving, the All-Bountiful.
BH10307: God beareth witness that there is none other God…
He is the Most Ancient, the Most Great.
God beareth witness that there is none other God but Him. His are the greatness and majesty, the might and power, and the bounties. He taketh and He giveth, and He is powerful over what He willeth. The conditions of His creation do not frustrate Him, nor doth the clamor of His servants prevent Him. He hath given glad tidings unto all in His Books and Scriptures and Tablets of this Day which hath dawned from the highest horizon with His Most Glorious Name. Exalted be the Lord of Names and Creator of the heavens, the Manifestation of this mighty Cause. Praise be to God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.
BH10604: God testifieth that there is none other God but…
In the Name of Him Who holds sway over the world!
God testifieth that there is none other God but Him, and He Who speaketh is verily the One mentioned in the Books of God, the Lord of all worlds.
This is a Day whereon all things proclaim: The Kingdom is God’s, the Almighty, the All-Praised.
Hold fast unto the Book of God, then act according to that which is contained therein. Thy Lord, verily, is the Ordainer, the All-Wise.
We have witnessed thy devotion and have made mention of thee in words that all the treasures of the heavens and earth cannot equal. When thou attainest unto them, render thanks unto thy Lord, the Wronged One, the Peerless.
BH10736: He dawneth above the horizon of the Tablet
He dawneth above the horizon of the Tablet
O Varqa! That which thou didst send to the servant who standeth before the Throne hath been presented and hath won the attention of the Wronged One in this glorious and noble station. We answer thee with this Tablet—verily thy Lord is the All-Merciful, the Mighty, the All-Knowing.
Remind the people of My days and acquaint them with that which behoveth them in this Day wherein I have raised the banner of “There is none other God but Me, the Mighty, the Great.” Glory be upon thee and upon whosoever heareth thy words concerning this wondrous Cause.
BH00884: We make mention of him who hath made mention…
He is the Manifest, the Speaker, the All-Seeing
We make mention of him who hath made mention of Us, and We answer him who hath turned towards Us when My most exalted Horizon appeared—the Dawning-Place of revelation of the Lord of Names and Creator of the heavens—that My most sweet call may draw him to a station wherein he shall hear from all things:
“By God! The Countenance of the Beloved hath appeared and the Speaker of Sinai hath spoken. This, verily, is the Promised One mentioned in the Books of God, the Lord of the worlds.”
Blessed is he who hath heard and answered when the Most Exalted Pen spoke and the Most Great Word appeared through this Name whereby the feet of the learned slipped and the hearts of the doubters were perturbed. Blessed art thou for having turned towards the Countenance when every heedless and remote one turned away. Blessed art thou and thy father, whom We made a dawning-place of knowledge. By the life of God! He became aware of that which none else was aware. My tongue in the kingdom of Mine utterance, the mighty, the wondrous, beareth witness to this. He perceived the fragrance of the garment before its appearance and spoke in praise of it before its manifestation. Exalted be this bounty which encompassed him, and exalted be this station whereof the Most Exalted Pen maketh mention in this Great Prison.
When thou attainest unto the Tablet of God, preserve it and read it in a spirit of joy and fragrance. Thus doth the Mother Book command thee from this station wherefrom the Tongue of Grandeur proclaimeth: “The Kingdom is God’s, the Lord of Lords!”
We have shown forth the clear tokens and set forth the verses, yet the people remain in heedlessness and behind a veil. We make mention of those whose names thou didst cite in thy letter, that they may rejoice in this mention which, when it appeared from the mouth of thy Lord’s Will, caused the earth to quake and the mountains to pass away. And We make mention of him whose name is adorned with the two B’s (Baba), who was imprisoned with thy father, that he may be assured that His knowledge encompasseth the earth and the heavens. Hearken unto the call from the direction of the snow-white Spot: He maketh mention of thee as a bounty from His presence. He, verily, is the Mighty, the All-Bestowing.
We counsel thee to manifest supreme steadfastness in this Cause whereby the feet of those who bear names have slipped, save whom God willeth, the Lord of the Return. This is a Day wherein the Balance crieth out and the Path calleth aloud, yet the people are in a strange slumber. They have not risen at the Blast, nor stirred at the Trump, as though they were deaf stones. Thus doth the Wronged One make mention of thee that thou mayest thank the Self-Sufficient, the Most High. Be thou of such constancy that shouldst the learned of the earth bring forth all that is with them, thou shalt behold thyself radiant from the horizon of certitude. Hold fast unto the Book of God and His laws, then act according to what hath been sent down therein from God, the Revealer of Laws. Grieve not at anything; verily He is with whosoever turneth unto Him and ordaineth for him that which shall gladden the hearts of the righteous.
O Muhammad! Hearken unto the call from the direction of the Single One, the Unique, Who hath been imprisoned by the heedless ones because He summoned all unto the Most Exalted Horizon, the station wherein the Lord of all beings proclaimeth:
“I am, verily, the One mentioned in the Scriptures and promised in the Tablets.”
Hold fast unto God’s Cause and His ordinances, and cling unto this hem which God hath sanctified from the hands of such servants as have violated God’s Covenant and Testament and denied the proof when its sun shone forth from the horizon of knowledge. We counsel thee and My loved ones to manifest supreme steadfastness, and We give you glad tidings of that which hath been ordained for you from God, the Cleaver of the dawn.
We make mention of the one named Badi’, who hath drunk the choice wine of utterance. We counsel him to observe calmness and dignity, and that which God hath revealed in the Book. Read thou the verses of thy Lord and glorify His praise in the morning and at eventide.
O Muhammad-Qabli-ʿAli! The face of the Wronged One hath turned towards thee from this spot wherefrom the Point of the Bayan proclaimeth: “The All-Merciful is come with a power that hath encompassed all regions.” He testified to this Revelation and made the entire Bayan as a leaf of this Garden, whose trees and fruits and rivers all proclaim: “The Hidden One is made manifest. Blessed are they who possess true vision.” Remember when thou didst draw nigh and present thyself before the Throne and didst hear the call of God, the Self-Subsisting. We have made mention of thee time and again. Verily thy Lord’s grace hath encompassed both the seen and the unseen. Let not the veils of men cause thee grief. Rejoice thou in the remembrance of the Lord of Destiny. Remember thou when thou wert present at the Most Great Scene. He draweth thee to a station wherein the utterances of those who have denied God, the Lord of the Kingdom, shall have no effect upon thee.
We make mention of Our loved ones in that land and give them the glad-tidings of My favor that hath preceded all existence. O people of Baha and companions of the Crimson Ark! This is your Day. Take ye the white cups in the name of the Lord of Names and drink therefrom My choice sealed wine. Thus hath shone forth from the horizon of the heaven of utterance the Sun of wisdom and clear exposition. Blessed is he who hath turned unto it and said:
“Praise be unto Thee, O Lord of the seen and the unseen!”
O Hasan! Thy name was present in the Most Great Prison when the Wronged One was walking in the House, and We made mention of thee as a favor on Our part, that thou mayest thank the True One, the Knower of things unseen. We counsel thee and My loved ones to observe goodly conduct. Blessed is the strong one whom the allusions of the people have not weakened, and the powerful one whom the hosts have not hindered. We make mention of him who was named with the letter Ba before Ha, that he may rejoice and be of the thankful. This is a Day wherein the Word hath appeared in the form of a human being and calleth all unto the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.
Blessed is he who hath acted according to that which he hath been commanded in the Book of God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. Be thou in such wise as befitteth thy name. Thus doth thy Lord, the All-Knowing, counsel thee. Blessed art thou and those who have not violated the Covenant of God and His Testament when He came with manifest sovereignty. How many a learned one hath been hindered, and how many an illiterate one hath attained unto the Kawthar and Salsabil! Say: The Kawthar is the utterance of the All-Merciful in the contingent world, and the Salsabil is His knowledge, the Mighty, the Impregnable. We have named each of them with the Most Beautiful Names in the Crimson Tablet. Blessed are they that understand.
O Youth named Rida! This is a Day wherein the sea proclaimeth: “The Kingdom belongeth to God, the Lord of all worlds,” and the land crieth out: “The appointed time is come and He Who revealeth the verses hath appeared with a command wherefore all things stand powerless.” Thus hath the Truth spoken. Blessed is he who hath heard and woe unto the heedless. The Tree proclaimeth with its loudest voice: “O concourse of men! The Most Great Scene hath appeared and the Lord of Destiny is established upon His mighty throne. Beware lest the veils debar you from the Manifestation of clear evidences. Cast behind you every mention and take hold of this Remembrance through which every obdurate idolator hath lamented.”
O Muhammad-Qablil-Husayn! The Wronged One makes mention of thee, inasmuch as thou hast turned towards Him and believed in God, the Mighty, the Beauteous. Blessed is the face that hath turned toward Him, the ear that hath heard, and the eye that hath beheld His luminous horizon. We have made mention of each one of Our loved ones in a Book which none knoweth save God, the Lord of this wondrous Day. Rejoice ye in My remembrance of you, then render thanks unto your Lord, the Bountiful. We make mention at this hour of Our handmaiden whom We have named the Leaf of Paradise, unto whom have been directed the glances of the loving-kindness of her Lord, the Almighty, the All-Forgiving, the All-Merciful. We send Our blessings upon her and upon those handmaidens who have turned towards and believed in God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. Glory be unto My male and female servants from the Wronged One, the Exile.
BH01506: Praise be to God Who is unique in His…
In His Name, Who is sanctified above the mention of what was and what shall be!
Praise be to God Who is unique in His grandeur and peerless in His Word, through Whose manifestation the Reality hath appeared, the Hour hath come to pass, and the tongues of all things have spoken in the Kingdom of creation. That which was recorded in the Books of God and inscribed in the Scriptures and Tablets hath been made manifest.
O Sadiq! Hearken unto the call of the Wronged One. He maketh mention of thee as a token of His grace, that He may draw thee to a station wherein thou shalt acknowledge that which God Himself acknowledged before the creation of the heavens and the earth, and give thanks unto thy Lord, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. This is the Day wherein the decree of the Meeting hath been fulfilled and the ocean of attainment hath surged, yet most of the people remain heedless. This is the Day whereof every Prophet and every Messenger from God, the Lord of the worlds, gave glad-tidings.
Say: O people! He hath come Who cannot be indicated by the signs of creation nor walketh in their ways. He hath appeared and made manifest His straight Path. This is the Day that hath adorned the Scrolls of God, the Mighty, the Wise. Behold what the All-Merciful hath revealed in the Qur’an, that thou mayest lead the people out of darkness into light and give them glad-tidings of the days of God. This is the Day wherein it behooveth every seeker to be in such wise that neither the books of the world nor the veils of the nations can hinder him. He speaketh and calleth out amongst the servants. This is the Day whereof God gave tidings, the Day whereon mankind shall stand before the Lord of the worlds. By My life! The kingdom on that Day shall be God’s, yet the people are wrapped in a thick veil. We bear witness that they are in evident smoke. The clouds of idle fancy have encompassed their hearts inasmuch as they have turned away from God, the Mighty, the Beautiful.
Blessed is he who is adorned this Day with the lights of certitude, turning away from those who doubt this Day, whereof the Tongue of Grandeur spoke before the creation of the heavens and the earth. This is the Day whereon thy Lord hath come and the angels rank on rank. Thus did the Tongue of Revelation speak aforetime, and thus did this Pen foretell—the Pen through whose movement the fragrance of utterance was wafted to all lands and all things proclaimed: “The Truth hath come with manifest sovereignty.” This is the Day whereon the Caller calleth out from every direction: “To whom belongeth the Kingdom this Day? To God, the One, the Almighty!” This is the Day whereon the mountains have been moved and every pregnant one hath cast her burden. To this beareth witness the Mother Book in this Most Great, Most Holy, Most Luminous Station.
Say: By God! This is the Day of Distinction. And what shall make thee understand what the Day of Distinction is? Woe on that Day to the deniers who deny the Day of Judgment! None denieth it save every transgressor, every sinful one. This is the Day whereon the Interlocutor of Sinai hath spoken, whereon the Trump hath been blown, those in the graves have been raised, and all who are in the heavens and on earth have swooned away, except whom God hath willed, the Mighty, the All-Praised.
Say: O people! Have ye forgotten what one of My chosen ones spoke aforetime, saying: “Await ye the appearance of the Interlocutor of Moses from the Tree upon the Mount”? These are words which the Messenger of God taught him, from the presence of Him Who sent him with the truth and aided him through the Spirit of Certainty.
O Sadiq! Behold, then remember My days and what hath befallen Me in the path of God, thy Lord and the Lord of thy forefathers of old. Tribulations have encompassed Me in all conditions, until the heedless cast Us into this Great Prison. When We entered it, We conveyed unto kings and subjects that which My Will had preceded and which had appeared from the horizon of My all-compelling Will over the worlds. Therein did sorrows overtake Us which none knoweth save God—to this every fair-minded and discerning one beareth witness. When those days were concluded, God transformed it into the Most Exalted Paradise and named it the Heaven of heavens. Thus was the matter decreed in a preserved Tablet. And it hath another episode which, were I to mention it, would cause grief to seize every faithful seeker.
Say: O people! Be fair before God—if ye deny this Cause which hath dawned from the Supreme Horizon, by what proof can ye establish that which ye possess? Be fair, and be not of the wrongdoers. Thus have We expounded the verses and sent down for thee that which hath diffused the fragrance of utterance, that thou mayest find and thank thy Lord, the Speaking, the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing.
When thou hast received My Book and hearkened unto what My Pen hath spoken, turn thy face toward My direction and say:
“I testify that Thou hast come for the life of the world, and through Thy mention the horizon of the Kingdom of God’s utterance, the Lord of all worlds, hath been adorned.”
BH02560: O people of the Kingdom of Creation! Hearken unto…
He is the All-Seeing, the All-Speaking, the All-Hearing, the All-Perceiving.
O people of the Kingdom of Creation! Hearken unto that which the Most Glorious Tongue speaketh from the Divine Lote-Tree, this Station which hath been named with the Most Beautiful Names in the Crimson Tablet by the Supreme Pen. He, verily, is the Single One Who hath taken unto Himself no peer nor likeness. He hath been sanctified above all similitudes and exalted above whatsoever the followers of religions have spoken. God beareth witness that there is none other God but Him, and He Who speaketh is verily the Most Great Ocean amidst the nations, the Most Great Sign among all beings, and the Hidden Mystery which was recorded in the Books of God, the Lord of all worlds.
This is the Day wherein that which had not appeared before hath been made manifest, and which had been named in every scripture, tablet and book as the Day of God. Yet most of the people remain behind a manifest veil. They behold the Most Exalted Horizon yet deny it, and they hear what hath been sent down from the Mother Book yet turn away from it. Thus have their souls enticed them, and they are among the distracted ones.
O Isma’il! Rejoice in that the All-Glorious remembereth thee from the direction of His Beautiful Horizon which hath been named the Most Great Prison. Thy Lord is, verily, the All-Compassionate, the Most Generous. We have remembered thee before—hast thou forgotten God’s loving-kindness and grace? He hath turned toward thee and spoken that which every knowing and perceiving one hath recognized its fragrance. Be thou vocal in My remembrance and thankful for this bounty which hath descended from the heaven of thy Lord’s loving-kindness. Make mention of My loved ones on My behalf and give them the glad-tidings of My remembrance, My grace and My mercy which have preceded all who are in the heavens and the earth.
Say: He heareth what your tongues utter and seeth what ye do in your days. He is, verily, the All-Hearing, to Whom the Books of the world have testified, and beyond them every just and knowing one. Say: We have enjoined upon you in the Book that which shall profit you in every world of the worlds of your Lord, the All-Forgiving, the All-Merciful. Hold fast unto it and place your trust in God, your Lord. He loveth him who turneth toward Him and trusteth in Him. Your Lord, the All-Merciful, is verily the Witness, the All-Hearing.
We counsel you to manifest supreme steadfastness in this Cause whereby the feet of the people have slipped—they who cast the command of God behind their backs and followed every ignorant remote one. Thus hath the Supreme Pen spoken upon the branch of divine knowledge from the presence of God, the Lord of all names. Blessed is he who hath attained, and woe unto the heedless ones.
The Glory be upon thee and upon thy mother and thy kindred, and upon My male and female servants who have uttered the praise of their Lord and have arisen to serve His wondrous Cause.
BH03130: A Book sent down by the All-Merciful unto…
He is the Most Ancient, the Most Great, the Most Glorious
A Book sent down by the All-Merciful unto the peoples of the earth. Verily it summoneth all to a station wherein naught is seen save the splendors of the face of God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. We have remembered those who have believed with a remembrance from which wafteth the fragrance of God’s loving-kindness, the Lord of all worlds.
O Muhammad! Rejoice that the glance of God hath been directed towards thee from this glorious station, and He remembereth thee with that which all the treasures of earth cannot equal. He Who possesseth knowledge of all things in a clear Book beareth witness to this. Give thanks unto thy Lord for this most great favor, then praise Him in such wise as to attract the hearts of all who hear.
Let not the affairs of men grieve thee and turn thee away from the Lord of earth and heaven. Be thou so steadfast in the Cause that neither the hosts of the world can dismay thee nor the veils of the divines who have turned away from God, the Peerless, the All-Informed, can hinder thee. They make mention of God by night and by day, yet when He appeared they pronounced judgment against Him with manifest injustice. By them have the Concourse on High lamented and the Most Exalted Word cried out, yet most of the people are heedless.
Say: O people of the Bayan! Fear ye the All-Merciful, and oppose not Him Who hath come with God’s testimonies, His mighty proof and His wise Book. How many a learned one hath been veiled by his knowledge from the Self-Subsisting, and how many an unlettered one hath attained to the choice sealed Wine when its seal was broken by the finger of God, the Strong, the Powerful.
O Muhammad! We made mention of thy father before his ascension, and We make mention of him at this time when the Most Exalted Pen proclaimeth with the most sublime call that there is none other God but Me, the Manifest, the Articulate, the All-Knowing. We have sent down for him a Tablet and forwarded it to thee that thou mayest read it and be of the thankful. We have remembered him in diverse Tablets as a token of Our grace—verily thy Lord is the Forgiving, the Merciful.
Be thou steadfast in serving the Cause of thy Lord and in remembering His name, the Mighty, the Wondrous. All that thou beholdest today shall perish, but that which hath been sent down to thee from the heaven of the will of thy Lord, the All-Knowing, shall endure as long as endureth His kingdom and His dominion. The Glory be upon thee and upon those with thee and upon My loved ones in that land, from One mighty and glorious.
BH03685: We have begun this day by remembering one who…
He is the Most Ancient, the Most Holy, the Most Exalted, the Most Glorious.
We have begun this day by remembering one who attained unto the recognition of God when every heedless and remote one was debarred therefrom. This is the day wherein the rustling of the Sadratu’l-Muntaha was raised and the Cock of the Throne crowed, when the Tongue of Grandeur proclaimed: The Kingdom belongeth unto God, the Peerless, the All-Informed. We counsel Our loved ones with that whereby the Cause of God may be exalted in these days wherein every wise command hath been made manifest. Blessed art thou for having turned unto the Countenance when the servants turned away, save those whom God desired, the Lord of the worlds. Be thou vocal in the praise of thy Lord, soaring in the atmosphere of His love, and steadfast in the service of His Cause. Thus doth command thee He with Whom is the Preserved Tablet.
We make mention of thy father who hath ascended unto God. We testify that he hath attained unto the Supreme Companion, the station whose praise no swift scribe can recount. We make mention of him at this hour as a bounty from Our presence. Verily thy Lord is the All-Bountiful, the Ancient of Days. Blessed art thou, O thou who hast attained unto the choice wine of recognition when the All-Merciful came with a sovereignty that conquered all who are in the heavens and on earth. We testify that thou didst turn unto the Most Exalted Horizon and believe in God, the Lord of all beings, when He came with the truth with a wondrous command. The Glory be upon thee and upon thy son who was named Muhammad-Taqi by God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.
O Abbas-Ali! Rejoice thou that thy letter which thou didst send unto Him Who circleth round My Throne hath come into the presence of the Servant Who standeth before My face, and We have remembered thee with this remembrance whose fragrance shall never be cut off from creation. Thy Lord, the All-Merciful, beareth witness unto this from this glorious station.
Blessed art thou and the chosen ones of God and His sincere ones whom God hath aided to acknowledge that which the Supreme Pen hath acknowledged in the kingdom of creation, and whom He hath enabled to fulfill that which hath been revealed in the Book from the presence of One mighty and powerful.
BH05136: In the Name of He Who hears and knows…
In the Name of He Who hears and knows. A Book sent down in truth while the Wronged One walked in His Most Great Prison, wherein He mentions one of His friends who attained unto His days, turned to His horizon and spoke in His beautiful praise.
O Muhammad! Rejoice in that the All-Knowing One makes mention of thee and gives thee glad tidings of God’s grace and mercy which have preceded all worlds. We have heard thy call and answered thee with this Clear Tablet. Hold fast to the Book of God, then act according to what hath been sent down therein from the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.
Say: O My loved ones! Be not grieved by the world and what hath befallen you in the path of God. He giveth you glad tidings of what He hath ordained for you in His mighty, impregnable Kingdom. Blessed is the servant who hath cast away what the people possess, hoping for that which is with his Lord, the True, the Trustworthy.
O Muhammad! Rejoice in that thou hast been mentioned before the Wronged One and this Clear Book hath been sent down for thee—that which beareth witness before the world to the manifestation of the Ancient King. Blessed is the servant who hath heard and turned, and woe unto them that turn away.
By the life of God! There hath been ordained for you that which the earth and all that is therein cannot equal. Rejoice in God and His manifestation, then drink from the cup of recognition through His blessed, mighty, wondrous Name. Should tablets of fire come unto you, cast them behind you, trusting in your Lord, the All-Bountiful, the Ancient.
The glory be upon thee and upon those who have attained unto this wise Remembrance.
BH05244: O Leaf of Paradise! The Wronged One remembers thee…
He is the One dawning from the horizon of utterance.
O Leaf of Paradise! The Wronged One remembers thee in the Most Exalted Paradise, the station round which circle all things. Verily thy Lord is the All-Explaining, the All-Knowing.
Thy letter came before the Countenance on the first day whereon God was established upon His mighty throne in a garden named Ridvan by the All-Merciful. Thus was the matter decreed from God, the Protector, the Mighty, the Inaccessible.
Blessed art thou in that the face of the Ancient One hath turned toward thee from the direction of His Most Great Prison and remembereth thee with that which hath caused the hearts of the people of immortality and the denizens of the Kingdom of Names to soar, and then those who circle round this luminous Station.
Blessed is the house wherein the remembrance of God hath been raised, and blessed is the tongue that hath uttered My praise, and the face that hath turned toward My horizon, and the heart that hath tasted the sweetness of My remembrance, the Mighty, the Wondrous.
We make mention of those who have believed in that place and give them glad tidings of that which cannot be equalled by all the treasures of the earth. To this beareth witness He with Whom is a preserved Tablet.
We mentioned thee before, and on this Night which God hath made the beginning of Ridvan. Verily thy Lord is He Who hath power over whatsoever He willeth.
When thou dost catch the fragrance of the Robe, turn thy face toward the Prison and say: “Glory be unto Thee, O Thou through Whose name all things were attracted and through Whose remembrance the Kingdom of Names was adorned! I beseech Thee by Thy name through which every matter appeared and [text ends mid-sentence]
BH05590: O Khalil! Your petition was presented before the holy…
He is God, exalted be His glory and greatness
O Khalil! Your petition was presented before the holy and glorious Throne and attained the hearing of the Lord of Names. May you be confirmed through God’s infinite bounties, and in all conditions be engaged in His remembrance, be turned toward His horizon, and arise in His service.
Today the Sun of Manifestation is shining and the light of His countenance is radiant. Blessed are those souls who have drunk from the ocean of recognition and who, after the Call was raised, were enabled to respond with “Here am I.”
Blessed are you, O My loved ones, for you have attained to that which most of humanity has failed to attain. You heard the Call of the Friend and were enabled to respond, in days when the limbs of the mighty trembled from the power of those times.
Rejoice, O My friends, in that the Lord of all beings remembers you from this noble horizon. That which gladdens hearts and brings joy to the eyes of the observers has been ordained for you.
The mentioned handmaidens have all attained to the remembrance of God. May they act according to what He loves and is pleased with.
We verily send Our greetings from this station to My loved ones and friends and to My handmaidens who have believed in the All-Informed Single One. The glory be upon you and your family. We mention her as a favor from Us and send Our greetings to her as a mercy from God, the Lord of the worlds.
BH05288: The Wronged One wisheth to make mention of him…
He is the Most Great, the Most Ancient, the Most Glorious!
The Wronged One wisheth to make mention of him who loved Him and spoke His praise and turned unto His countenance when they that wear white turbans and they of the green domes turned away. To this doth My Most Exalted Pen bear witness from God, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting.
Blessed art thou, O ʿAbdu’r-Rahim! Thou didst hear My call and turn to My horizon, and didst soar in My atmosphere and speak My praise in My days, and didst prostrate thyself before My countenance and humble thyself before My sovereignty, and wert assured of My Manifestation and My verses, and didst hearken unto My words and attain the effulgences of the lights of the Sun of My bounty, and didst arise to serve Me amongst My servants and to assist My loved ones. By My life! Thou hast attained unto that which most of My servants have failed to attain. Verily, thou didst remember Me in the days of thy life, and the Desired One remembereth thee in thy life and will remember thee after thy ascension.
There hath been sent down for thee that which hath caused the musk of inner meanings to waft forth throughout the lands and realms of God, as a reward for thy deeds in the path of God, the Beloved of them that know. And We, in this hour, do console thy survivors and thy kindred, and comfort them with this remembrance which hath dawned forth from the horizon of the mouth of the Will of God, the Almighty, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.
Thus hath the rustling of the Lote-Tree of the Utmost Boundary been raised betwixt earth and heaven. Blessed is he that hath ears to hear and hath read what hath been sent down in this Perspicuous Tablet.
BH05560: O son of Ismi al-Asdaq! Upon thee be My…
He is God, exalted be His glory, the Most Great, the All-Powerful
O son of Ismi al-Asdaq! Upon thee be My glory and upon him be My glory and My mercy and My loving-kindness.
God willing, may the conditions of the world and the objections of the nations not prevent thee from the remembrance and praise of the Lord of Eternity. Be thou so enkindled with the fire of divine love that its effects become manifest in the world.
Blessed is thy father and blessed is he who visits him, as revealed by My Most Exalted Pen, and blessed is thy brother who attained the presence of God, the Lord of all worlds, and turned toward diverse lands, speaking, remembering, praising and assisting. Verily thy Lord is the All-Informed.
Blessed are they who have arisen today to serve God and who act according to what they have been commanded in the Book.
And as for thy intention to turn toward the Most Holy Court, this is befitting for all who have turned to God, the One, the All-Knowing. However, all are commanded to wisdom and must act according to its requirements. The people are heedless, veiled, corrupted and oppressive, and this land too is in commotion. God willing, if it occurs with joy and fragrance, verily He is the Hearer, the Answerer.
Convey to all the friends in that land the greetings of the Wronged One. Glory be upon you and upon your family and those who are with you.
BH06332: O Ahmad! From before, your mention flowed and appeared…
He is the All-Remembering, the All-Seeing, the All-Knowing
O Ahmad! From before, your mention flowed and appeared from the Most Exalted Pen. I swear by the Most Great Luminary that has dawned from the horizon of the world—nothing that imagination can encompass or understanding comprehend can compare with it.
Therefore give thanks to the Ancient Lord that He has enabled you to attain this great bounty. Be not grieved or saddened by the conditions and conflicts of the world. Reflect upon former ages—what they said and what they did in the times of the Manifestations of Truth.
Great is the Cause, and most lofty the station of steadfastness. God willing, you shall hold fast to it and spend your nights and days in remembrance of the Peerless Friend.
He says: The whole world exists so that it might be mentioned but once in the Holy Presence. Verily He has spoken the truth, but the people do not understand. Verily He has appeared with justice, but mankind does not perceive. Verily He calls out with the most exalted call, but the factions do not hear, save whom God wills, the Protecting, the Self-Subsisting.
The glory be upon you and upon your family and upon those who have attained to this irrevocable Cause.
BH06340: O My handmaiden! The Ancient Beauty hath called thee…
In the Name of the Everlasting Speaker!
O My handmaiden! The Ancient Beauty hath called thee from the Most Great Prison and addressed thee by this blessed name, which hath no equal. This word “O My handmaiden” is more excellent and ancient than the crowns of all the queens of the world; nay, all have been and shall ever be as nothing and non-existent when compared with its mention. Know thou the station of this most great bounty and preserve it as the apple of thine eye.
How many were the divines, mystics, princes and queens of the earth who, with the utmost lowliness and supplication, besought the All-Possessing Lord for the attainment of this blessed Day. Yet when the lights of the Day of God shone forth from the horizon of the Divine Will, all were found to be veiled. But thou hast attained unto it, to such an extent that He hath mentioned thee in the Most Great Prison at a time when sorrows had encompassed the Ancient Beauty.
Exalted is this supreme bounty! Exalted is this noble station! Were the true station of this bounty to be described as it truly is, all the books of the world and the pens of all nations would not suffice nor prove equal to the task. The glory be upon thee and upon My handmaidens in that land.